// X.  or 


1^  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  ^ 


Presented    by  O  r\e.    G^VAVrAOX:^, 

BX  9177  .G7 

Greene,  W.  Brenton  1854- 

1928. 
Christian  doctrine 


Christian  Doctrine 


By 

Professor  W.,Brenton  Greene,  Jr.,  D.  D. 


PHILADELPHIA 

THE  WESTMINSTER  PRESS 
1905 


Copyright,  1905,  by 

The  Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication 
AND  Sabbath-School  Work 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

PAGE 

I    The  Bible 9 

II     The  Nature  of  God         .... 

14 

Ill     God's  Work  of  Creation  and  Providence 

18 

IV    The  Nature  and  Original  State  of  ]\Ian 

22 

V    Sin 

26 

VI     Redemption     .         .         .         .         .         . 

31 

VII    The  Christian  Life          .... 

40 

VIII     The  Means  of  Grace       .... 

46 

IX    The  Last  Things  • 

52 

PREFACE 

This  little  volume  has  been  prepared  primarily  for  the  use  of 
students  in  The  Westminster  Teacher-Training  Course  who  may 
wish  to  pursue  further  their  study  of  Christian  doctrine.  The  les- 
sons in  the  manual  are  necessarily  brief  outlines  only.  In  these 
pages  the  author  has  expanded  and  developed  the  several  subjects. 
Then,  others,  also,  besides  teacher-training  students,  will  find  here 
an  exposition  of  the  great  doctrines  of  the   Christian  religion. 


INTRODUCTION 

A.  A  Present£Ltion  of  Cliristian  Doctrine  presupposes: — 

a.  That  God  exists. 

b.  That  God  has  revealed  Himself. 

c.  That  the  Bible  is  God's  authoritative  and  complete  revelation  to 
man  in  the  life  that  now  is. 

These  are  the  subjects  which  constitute  the  science  of  Christian 
Apologetics.  An  excellent  treatise  on  this  science  is  "The  Grounds 
of  Theistic  and  Christian  BeHef,"  by  Prof.  Geo.  P.  Fisher,  D.  D., 
LL.  D. 

B.  It  should  be  remembered:— 

a.  That  the  proof  of  a  Christian  doctrine  is  the  evidence  that  is 
expressed  or  implied  in  the  teaching  of  the  Bible. 

b.  That  the  proof-texts  given  in  these  lessons  are  simply  speci- 
mens of  a  far  larger  number  that  might  be  adduced. 

c.  That  no  doctrine  rests  on  detached  texts  simply,  but  on  these 
as  illustrating  the  general  trend  of  the  Bible. 

C    It  is  recommended: — 

a.  That  the  proof-texts  be  memorised. 

b.  That  the  indicated  sections  of  the  Confession  of  Faith  be  care- 
fully studied. 

c.  That  the  lectures  in  "Popular  Lectures  on  Theological  Themes" 
be  read. 

W.  B.  G. 


CHAPTER  I 

THE   BIBLE  * 

A.  The  Bible  is  a  Word  of  Man.     A  glance  at  it  shows  this. 

a.  Each  one  of  its  sixty-six  books  was  zvrittcn  by  a  man   (Rom. 

I:  1-7). 

b.  Each  one  of  these  authors  wrote  from  human  impulses,  with 
earthly  conditions  for  his  occasions,  with  definite  designs  of  his 
own   (Luke  1 :  1-4). 

c.  They  had  each  a  style  of  his  ozmi,  and  they  wrote  each  in  his 
own  style.     Compare  Paul's  epistles  with  John's. 

d.  What  they  wrote  zvas  affected  by  their  mental  state  and  by  their 
surroundings.  Thus  no  one  of  the  evangelists  told  or  knew  all 
concerning  Christ   (John  XXI 125). 

e.  Hence,  the  Bible  is  not  omniscient.  It  does  not  touch  on  every 
subject;  it  does  not  tell  all  on  any  subject.  It  is  so  truly  the  free 
expression  of  men  that  it  is  marked  by  all  the  limitations  character- 
istic of  man,  error  only  excepted. 

B.  The  Bible  is  Unique.  As  its  name  signifies,  it  is  "The 
Book." 

a.  No  other,  not  even  the  sacred  books  of  the  other  great  relig- 
ions, approaches  it  as  regards  circulation.  Over  eight  million  new 
copies  are  being  issued  yearly. 

b.  No  other  has  been  studied  and  is  being  studied  so  carefully  and 
so  generally.  More  than  two  hundred  thousand  volumes  are  said 
to  have  been  written  simply  to  expound  it. 

c.  No  other  has  achieved  such  results  or  has  been  accorded  such 
a  place.  The  Hon.  W.  H.  Seward  wrote.:  "The  whole  hope  of 
human  progress  is  suspended  on  the  ever  growing  influence  of  the 
Bible." 

C.  The  Bible  is  The  Word  of  God.  This  is  its  own  claim, 
the  explanation  which  it  gives  of  its  uniqueness.     It  is  "The  Book," 

*See  "Confession  of  Faith,"  Chapter  I;  also  "Popular  Lectures  on  Theolog- 
ical Themes,"   Lecture  IV. 


10  CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE 


because  its  human  authors  "spake  from  God,  being  moved  by  the 
Holy  Spirit"  (II  Peter  1: 21).  God's  part  in  the  preparation  of 
this  Book  of  books  falls  under  several  heads: — 

a.  Proz'idcncc.  God  so  places  and  conditions  every  man  as  to 
secure  his  becoming  what  His  plan  for  him  "calls  for.  Because  He 
intended  that  Christianity  should  demand,  and  so  knew  that  it 
would  demand,  doctrinal  statement,  He  gave  Paul  a  logical  mind 
and  then  caused  him  to  be  brought  up  "at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel." 
In  this  natural  way  God  so  prepared  the  writers  of  the  Bible  that, 
as  regards  the  things  of  this  world,  they  would  of  themselves  write 
what  He  wished  and  as  He  wished  and  when  He  wished, 

b.  Spiritual  illumination.  Notwithstanding  providential  control, 
man  cannot  of  himself  receive  "the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God" 
(I  Cor.  11:14).  Though  put  where  he  could  best  see  them  and 
given  the  faculties  with  which  to  discern  them,  his  power  for  such 
discernment  has  been  destroyed  by  sin.  Hence,  in  the  case  of  the 
writers  of  the  Bible,  as  in  that  of  all  God's  children.  He  supernatu- 
rally  opens  and  clarifies  their  organ  of  spiritual  vision  (Eph.  I:  18). 
Thus  Paul,  who  thought  that  he  "ought  to  do  many  things  contrary 
to  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth"  (Acts  XXVI:  9),  carne  to 
recognize  Him  as  his  Lord  and  Saviour   (Acts  IX:  6). 

c.  Revelation.  Even  the  spiritually  illuminated  man  could  not  by 
himself  discover  the  deep  things  of  God  (Rom.  XI :  33,  34).  His 
own  organ  of  spiritual  vision  is  not  strong  enough ;  and  if  it  were, 
God's  purpose  of  grace,  because  purely  optional,  could  be  known 
only  as  He  should  Himself  declare  it.  Hence,  by  visions,  dreams, 
direct  mental  suggestion,  verbal  dictation,  "in  divers  manners,  God 
spoke  unto  the  fathers  in  the  prophets"  (Heb.  I:i).  This  super- 
natural revelation,  of  course,  was  furnished  to  the  writers  of  the 
Bible  only  when  providential  preparation  and  spiritual  illumination 
were  inadequate.  The  Scriptures,  therefore,  contain  revelations; 
they  are  not  made  up  solely  of  revelations  (Luke  I:  1-4). 

d.  Inspiration.  All  men  are  fallible.  Consequently,  in  receiving 
and  recording  a  revelation  they  would  be  liable  to  err.  They  would 
be  almost  as  much  so  in  stating  their  own  observation  or  experience. 
Hence,  a  special  influence  from  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  was  granted 
to  the  sacred  writers  to  enal)le  them  accurately  to  conceive  and  to 
express  what  God  would  have  them  say.  Of  this  inspiration  we 
may  affirm  : — 


THE   BIBLE  H 


(i)  It  was  in  no  sense  mechanical.  It  did  not  dictate  words;  it 
effectively  guided  the  selection  of  words.  It  did  not  impair  the 
writer's  spontaneity ;  it  was  exerted  through  and  in  accordance  with 
his  spontaneity.  It  must  have  been  somewhat  like  the  touch  of  the 
driver  on  the  reins  which  guide  the  racing  steeds.  The  naturalness 
of  the  style  of  the  Bible  indicates  as  much  as  this. 

(2)  It  was  constant.  Only  parts  of  the  Bible  were  revealed,  but 
every  part,  without  distinction,  is  inspired  (II  Tim.  Ill:  16). 

(3)  This  is  true  even  of  the  words.  Though,  except  when  other- 
wise stated,  the  free  utterance  of  men,  they  are  God's  words ;  for 
they  are  those  to  which  He  guided  the  choice  of  the  writer  as  the 
expression  of  His  will  for  us  (I  Cor.  II:  13).  It  was  of  the  use 
of  a  particular  word,  that  Christ  said  that  "the  scripture  cannot 
be  broken"  (John  X:35). 

(4)  It  is  the  original  Scriptures  in  the  original  languages  that  are 
so  inspired.  These  have  been  preserved  to  us,  however,  through  the 
care  of  the  copyists  and  the  labors  of  scholars  in  remarkable  purity; 
and  have  been  brought  within  the  reach  of  all  by  faithful  translations. 
Hence,  he  who  reads  our  current  English  Bible  reads  in  it,  with 
competent  exactness,  the  mind  of  the  Spirit  as  it  was  recorded  in 
the  inspired  Word  for  our  admonition. 

D.  The  Bible's  Own  Claim  to  be  "The  Word  of  God"  must 
be  True. 

a.  IVJiat  it  has  done  and  zuhat  it  is,  when  considered  in  connection 
with  its  claim,  prove  this.  If  the  Bible  were  not,  as  it  asserts,  "the 
word  of  God,"  it  would'  be  on  its  face  either  a  lie  or  a  mistake. 
Could  a  lie  or  a  mistake,  however,  have  exerted  the  uniquely  benefi- 
cent moral  influence  which  the  Bible  has  exerted?  Again,  though 
written  by  forty  different  authors  through  sixteen  centuries,  the 
Bible  is  so  clearly  one  book  that  God  must  have  suggested  at  least 
its  ruling  ideas.  Can  we,  however,  think  of  God  as  doing  this  in 
the  case  of  a  book  which  would  be  on  its  face  a  lie  or  a  mistake,  if 
it  were  not,  as  it  asserts,  even  as  to  its  words,  God's  Word? 

b.  The  direct  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  hearts  of  Christians 
is  for  them  an  additional  kind  and  the  decisive  kind  of  evidence. 
The  Holy  Spirit  puts  the  teachings  of  the  Bible  to  the  test  of  ex- 
perience in  the  hearts  of  Christians,  and  this  experience  both  demon- 
strates the  truth  and  witnesses  to  the  supernatural  origin  of  these 


12  CHRISTIAN    DOCTRINE 


teachings  (John  XVI:  13,  14).  Then  we  infer  that  the  book  which 
contains  them  is,  as  it  says,  "the  word  of  God." 

c.  Hence,  tJic  comparatively  few  seeming  mistakes  in  the  Bible 
ought  not  to  disturb  us.  On  the  one  hand,  not  one  of  them  can  be 
proved  to  be  a  mistake ;  on  the  other  hand,  the  evidence  that  the 
Bible  is  ''the  word  of  God"  makes  it  irrational  not  to  hold  them  in 
suspense  until  we  know  more  of  them.  Even  a  man  with  a  name 
for  honesty  ought  not  to  be  admitted  to  be  dishonest  because  his 
statements  show  a  few  discrepancies  that  we  can  not  explain. 

E.  The  Doctrine  that  the  Bible  is  "the  Word  of  God" 
means: — 

a.  Its  outlwrity  rests  directly  upon  God  (I  Thess.  II:  13).  We  do 
not  obey  it  because  it  is  reasonable ;  we  believe  it  to  be  reasonable 
ultimately  because  it  is  "the  word"  of  Him  who  is  the  source -of 
all  reason.  We  do  not  receive  it  on  the  authority  of  the  church; 
we  hold  that  the  church  has  no  authority  save  as  founded  upon  it. 
We  do  not  accept  it  on  the  ground  that  our  feelings  approve  it ;  we 
approve  only  such  of  our  feelings  as  it  endorses   (II  Tim.  Ill:  16). 

b.  The  Bible  is  infallible  throughout.  In  all  its  words,  God's 
word,  it  can  make  no  mistake  (John  X:35).  Hence,  though  it 
leaves  much  unsaid,  all  that  it  says  is  true  in  the  sense  in  zvhich  it 
says  it.  What  it  states  as  history  is  real  history.  Its  descriptions  of 
the  processes  of  nature,  though  not  scientific  in  design  or  effect,  are, 
as  popular  statements  always  aim  to  be  and  as  scientific  statements 
could  seldom  be,  true  to  what  appears.  When  the  mistakes  of  men 
or  the  lies  of  Satan  are  given,  it  is  an  infallible  record  of  mistakes 
or  of  lies  that  we  have. 

c.  As  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice  the  Bible  is  complete.  In  these 
respects  it  tells  us  all  that  we  need  to  know  and  all  that  we  may 
regard  as  authoritative  (Gal.  1:8,  9). 

d.  As  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice  it  is  also  perspicuous.  Though 
there  is  much  in  the  pible  too  deep  for  human  understanding,  its 
presentation  of  "the  way  of  life"  is  so  plain  that  "he  who  runs  may 
read."  Hence,  the  Scriptures  are  addressed  to  all  men  and  ought  to 
be  searched  and  judged  by  all  men  (Ps.  CXIX :  105,  130). 

e.  The  Bible  differs  from  every  other  hook,  therefore,  in  its  pur- 
pose as  zvell  as  in  its  nature.  God  gives  it  to  us  that  we  may  live  in 
Him.  The  Bible  presents  the  way  of  life.  Its  purpose  is  to  make 
us  "wise  unto  salvation"  (II  Tim.  HI:  15). 


THE   BIBLE  I3 


Note. — For  particulars  concerning  the  composition,  contents,  and 
preservation  of  the  Bible  see  Part  I.  of  the  first  year's  Westminster 
Teacher  Training  Course, 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  NATURE  OF  GOD  * 

The  Bible  being  infallible  because  itself  "the  word  of  God,"  and 
containing  all  that  we  need  to  know  in  this  world  as  regards  the 
eternal  life  in  Him,  we  ought,  in  the  teachable  spirit  of  little  chil- 
dren, first  to  study  its  doctrine  of  the  divine  nature. 

A.  Like  Ourselves,  "God  is  a  Spirit"    (John  IV:  24). 

a.  He  is  a  personal  being.  As  each  of  us,  He  is  distinct  and  sep- 
arate from  all  other  beings ;  as  we  are.  He  is  conscious  of  Himself 
as  thus  distinct  and  separate;  and,  as  also  in  our  case.  He  is  never 
determined  in  His  choosing  by  any  external  constraint,  nor  yet  by 
any  inherent  physical  necessity,  as  when  a  tree  produces  a  flower, 
nor  even  by  any  animal  instinct,  as  when  a  bird  makes  her  nest ;  but 
always  and  only  in  accordance  with  and  in  response  to  His  own 
rational  nature  (Gen.  1:26;  Dan.  IV:  3S)-  This  implies  that,  also 
like  ourselves,  God  knows  and  feels  (Gen.  VI :  S.  6). 

b.  He  is  a  moral  being.  He  lives  in  the  light  of  the  eternal  dif- 
ference between  right  and  wrong.  He  determines  Himself,  not  only 
as  He  wishes,  but  also  always  as  He  ought  (Gen.  XVIII:  25). 

B.  Unlike  Ourselves,  but  like  tke  Angels,  God  is  Only  a 
Spirit.  Neither  vitally  nor  otherwise,  is  He  united  with  a  body 
(Deut.  IV:  15,  16).  All  apparently  contrary  representations,  as 
Ps.  XXXII :  4,  are  figurative. 

C.  Unlike  both  Ourselves  and  tbe  Angels,  God  is  Unique 
and    Supreme.      He    stands    absolutely   by   Himself,    and    there    is 

.nothing  with  which  to  compare  Him  or  by  which  to  explain  Him 
(Isa.  XL:  18). 

a.  God  is  self-existent.  Unlike  all  else,  He  neither  has  nor  de- 
mands any  cause  or  reason  outside  of  Himself.  He  alone  exists 
necessarily,  of  Himself  and  for  Himself   (Acts  XVII:  25). 

*See  "Confession  of  Faith,"  Chapter  TI;  also  "Popular  L,ectures  on  Theolog- 
ical Themes,"   L,cctures  I  and  VI. 

14 


THE    NATURE   OF   GOD  I 5 


b.  God  is  infinite.  Unlike  all  others,  there  are  no  limitations  to 
His  being,  His  knowledge,  His  power,  His  righteousness,  His 
goodness,  His  truth. 

(i)  His  being  is  superior  to  the  limitations  and  conditions  im- 
posed on  the  creatures  of  His  hand  by  time,  space,  and  degree.  He 
is  eternal ;  He  is  immeasurable ;  He  is  incomparable.  "The  whole 
God  is  always  everywhere,"  and  He  is  always  everywhere  unique 
(Ps.  CXXXIX:7-i2). 

(2)  His  knowledge  embraces  Himself  and  the  universe,  past, 
present,  and  future ;  and  it  comprehends  both  in  one  all-including 
intuition   (Heb,  IV:  13). 

(3)  His  power  is  inexhaustible  and  perfect  in  mode  of  action  (Isa. 
XL:  28).  So  far  as  power  itself  is  concerned,  "With  God  all  things 
are  possible"  (Matt.  XIX:  26).  His  activity,  however,  has  two 
limitations.  One  is  His  will.  In  God,  as  in  us,  there  is  a  distinction 
between  will  and  power  (Eph.  1:9).  He  does  not  do  all  that  He 
can ;  He  does  only  what  He  has  purposed.  The  other  limitation  is 
His  nature.  Because  God  is  self-determined  or  free,  He  cannot 
purpose  contrary  to  His  nature  any  more  than  we  can  (II  Tim. 
II:  13).  He  has  power  enough  to  do  wrong,  but  He  lacks  the  will 
to  do  it :  and  He  could  not  will  to  act  wrongly  or  unreasonably ;  for 
His  self  or  nature  is  perfectly  righteous  and  reasonable. 

(4)  His  righteousness,  as  just  remarked,  is  absolute.  He  is  ex- 
actly just.  God  is  ever  all  that  He  Himself  ought  to  be,  and  He 
never  appoints  for  any  of  His  creatures  less  than  ought  to  be  ap- 
pointed or  more  than  may  rightly  be  appointed  (Dan.  IX:  14; 
Rom.  II:  5,  6).  This  is  so  because  He  is  essentially  and  necessarily 
righteous.  He  does  not  determine  what  is  right  arbitrarily:  He 
expresses  and  illustrates  it  naturally;  for  it  is  the  most  vital  element 
of  His  life.  Whatever  He  wills,  therefore,  is  right; -for  He  can,  as 
we  have  seen,  will  only  in  accordance  with  His  nature,  and  this  is 
the  right  itself.  Hence,  what  God  is  is  both  the  ground  and  the 
standard  of  right.  What  God  is  is  right,  and  we  ought  to  do  right 
because  of  what  God  is  (Lev.  XIX:  2;  Matt.  V:48). 

(5)  His  goodness,  in  all  its  forms,  is  boundless.  It  includes  (a) 
benevolence,  which  has  for  its  objects  all  sensitive  creatures  (Ps. 
CXLV:9);  (b)  love,  which  has  rational  beings  for  its  objects 
(John  HI:  16)  ;  (c)  mercy,  which  has  for  its  objects  the  miserable 
(Isa.  LXIII :  9)  ;    (d)    grace,  which  has   for  its  objects  the   unde- 


l6  CHRISTIAN    DOCTRINE 


serving  (Rom.  V:8).  When  any  suffer,  it  is  at  least  because  this 
is  right;  it  cannot  be  because  of.  lack  of  power  or  of  mercy  in  God. 
When  sinners  are  lost  it  is  at  least  because  His  justice  so  requires; 
it  cannot  be  because  God  lacks  either  the  power  (Heb.  VII 125)  or 
the  wish  to  save  them  (I  Tim.  11:4).  Hence,  "God  is  love"  (I 
John  IV:  8).  Though  He  is  much  else,  love  is  that  in  which  He 
delights.  Moreover,  as  the  expression  of  His  love  ever  harmonizes 
with  His  justice,  so  His  justice  is  always  exercised  in  love.  God 
never  feels  so  much  compassion  as  when  He  punishes  most  severely 
(Ezek.  XXXIII :  II).- 

(6)  His  truth  is  absolute.  He  neither  will  nor  can  disappoint 
the  promise  of  His  works  or  of  His  Word  or  of  His  nature.  We 
always  know  exactly  how  we  shall  find  Him.  Variously  though  He 
may  act,  in  Himself  and  in  His  principles  of  action.  He  is  and 'must 
always  be  the  same  (Heb.  XIII:  8;  II  Tim.  II:  13). 
D.  God's  Relation  to  the  World  is  as  Follows:— 

a.  God  is  incomprehensible.  We  may  know  Him  truly  in  so  far  as 
lie  has  revealed  Himself  to  us,  but  what  even  He  can  reveal  of 
Himself  to  us  is  as  nothing  to  what  He  is.  From  the  nature  of  the 
case,  the  finite  can  never  comprehend  the  Infinite  (Job  XI 17-9). 
Yet  we  should  not  on  this  account  distrust  our  knowledge  of  God  as 
derived  from  nature  (Rom.  I:  20;  II:  15),  and  from  the  Bible  (John 
V:39),  and,  above  all,  from  Christ  (John  I:  18).  Though  very 
partial,  it  must  be  true.  What  He  who  is  "the  Truth"  teaches  us 
cannot  but  be  true.  No  future  revelation  can  reverse  it.  Though 
the  love  of  Christ  "passeth  knowledge,"  we  may  "know"  even  it 
(Eph.  Ill:  19). 

b.  God  is  immanent  in  the  ivorld.  He  is  "everywhere  present  in 
every  point  of  space  and  within  the  inmost  constitution  of  all  created 
things  at  the  same  time."  He  acts  from  within  everything  and 
through  its  own  forces  and  in  accordance  with  its  own  laws.  Thus 
He  both  upholds  it  in  being  and  determines  its  being.  Hence,  "all 
things  live  and  move  and  have  their  being"  in  Him  (Acts  XVII :  28)  ; 
and,  hence,  too,  all  things  reveal  Him  (Rom.  I:  20). 

c.  God  is  transcendent.  Though  in  the  world  and  in  closest  touch 
with  it,  God  is,  nevertheless,  distinct  from  it,  before  and  above  it, 
and  independent  of  it.  The  world  might  be  blotted  out,  but  God 
would  exist  the  same  that  He  is  now.  He  did  exist  eternally  before 
He  brought  the  world  into  being.     He  acts  on  the  world  from  with- 


THE    NATURE   OF   GOD  I7 


out  as  well  as  from  within,  directly  as  well  as  through  the  activities 
which  He  has  given  to  it.  He  takes  pleasure  in  the  world  as  the  work 
of  His  own  hands,  but  He  does  not  need  the  world  for  His  pleasure ; 
in  this,  as  in  all  else,  He  is  self-sufficient.  As  does  no  other,  He 
feels  for  the  world's  sorrow :  but  this  is  only  because  He  conde- 
scends to  do  so ;  He  could  be  absolutely  undisturbed  by  it.  In  a 
word,  God  is  "the  high  and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity"  (Isa. 

LVn:i5). 

E.  In  tlie  Unity  of  the  Godliead  are  Three  Persons. 

a.  The  one  and  only  God,  indivisible  in  His  essence  (Deut. 
VI:  4),  exists  necessarily  and  eternally  as  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Spirit  (Alatt.  XXVIII:  19)  ;  and  though  these  three  are  of  the  same 
substance  and  are  equal  in  power  and  glory  and  always  act  together, 
with  one  mind  and  one  will,  yet  are  they  so  truly  distinct  that  one 
can  address  the  others  (John  XVII:  5),  one  can  send  the  others 
(John  XIV:  26),  we  can  pray  to  each  one  of  them  (Eph.  HI:  14), 
each  one  of  them,  as  will  be  seen  later,  has  a  characteristic  office 
in  our  redemption,  and  in  their  manner  of  existence  and  of  working 
they  are  subordinated,  the  Spirit  to  the  Son  and  the  Son  and  Spirit 
to  the  Father   (Matt.  XXVIII:  19). 

b.  These  facts  cannot  he  explained;  there  is  nothing  with  which 
to  compare  them.  Yet  they  involve  no  contradiction ;  the  doctrine 
is  not  that  one  person  is  three  persons ;  it  is  that  one  Being  exists 
as  three  persons. 

c.  This  is  a  helpful  conception.  It  throws  some  light  on  the  self- 
sufficiency  of  God.  The  ground  of  this  is  in  the  ineffable  intimacy 
and  love  of  the  three  persons  of  the  Godhead. 

F.  The  Prerogative  arising  out  of  All  These  Perfections 
of  God  is  His  Sovereignty. 

a.  He  both  ought  to  have  and  does  have  absolute  dominion  over 
us  and  all  creation  (Dan.  IV:  35). 

b.  His  ozvn  glory  and  the  exercise  of  His  perfections  are  and 
ought  to  be  His  eternal  purpose  and  the  reason  for  the  ivhole  world. 
Because  God  is  both  self-existent  and  the  perfection  of  righteousness 
and  goodness,  all  beings  and  things  must  find  their  reason  in  Him, 
and  their  highest  possible  good  in  making  known  His  excellence 
(Rom.  XI:  36). 


CHAPTER  III 

GOD'S  WORK  OF  CREATION  AND  PROVIDENCE  • 

God,  because  the  self-existent,  infinite,  and  perfect  personality, 
has  a  purpose  or  plan.- 

A.  The  Purpose  or  Plan  of  God  is  Free  and  Sovereign. 

a.  He  plans  and  acts,  never  from  outward  constraint,  never  from 
inherent  physical  necessity,  as  a  tree  grows,  nor  yet  from  instinct, 
as  the  swallow  flies  southward  on  the  approach  of  winter,  but  alvVays 
from  a  sufficient  reason  (Eph.  I:  ii). 

b.  Unlike  oiirsek'cs,  this  siiiUcicnt  reason  is  ever  zvJwlly  in  Him- 
self and  not  at  all  in  other  persons  or  things  (Rom,  XI :  34)  ;  it  is 
not  found  in  any  need  that  God  feels  (Acts  XVII 125);  but  rather 
in  His  self-sufficiency,  which  rejoices  thus  to  express  itself;  His 
purpose  is  in  no  case  suspended  on  any  condition,  but  as  it  embraces 
all  events  of  every  kind,  so  God  has  determined  certainly  whatever 
occurs  (Eph.  1 :  11). 

c.  A  little  reflection  will  show  that  all  this  is  necessarily  implied 
in  the  very  conception  of  God  as  well  as  taught  explicitly  in  the 
Bible.  God  could  not  be  the  self-existent,  infinite,  and  perfect  Per- 
sonality, if  He  did  not  have  a  plan,  or  if  anything  were  left  out  of 
His  plan,  or  if  His  plan  were  determined  by  anything  outside  of 
Himself,  or  if  in  Himself  there  were  an}-,  even  the  least,  insuffi- 
ciency, or  if  contingency  and  uncertainty  could  attach  in  any  case 
to  His  plan  or  its  accomplishment. 

B.  The  Design  of  God's  Purpose  or  Plan  is  His  O^vn 
Glory  and  the  Exercise  of  His  Perfections  (Rom.  XI:  36). 
At  this  point,  too,  there  is  the  sharpest  contrast  between  God  and 
ourselves.  Because  of  what  God  is.  He  ought  to  live  for  Himself; 
for  no  other  or  others  than  Himself  could  afford  an  end  so  high ;  and 
it  must  be  best  for  the  world  that  He  should  plan  all  things  for  His 

*See  "Confession  of  Faith,"  Chapters  III,  IV,  V;  also  "Popular  Lectures  on 
Theological  Themes,"  L,ectures  II,  III,  VII. 

18 


god's    work   of   creation   and    providence  19 


own  glory;  for  how  could  He  so  bless  the  world  as  to  use  it  to  make 
known  His  infinite  love  and  absolute  righteousness? 

C.  God  begins  to  carry  out  His  Eternal  and  All-compre- 
hending and  Uncliangeable  and  Infinitely  Blessed  and 
Absolutely  Righteous  Purpose  or  Plan  in  His  "Work  of 
Creation. 

a.  The  work  of  creation  is  tzvofold:  {i) Immediate  creation,  or 
the  origination  of  the  material — i.  e.,  the  principles  and  causes  of 
all  things  (Gen.  I:  i).  (2)  Mediate  creation,  or  the  origination  of 
the  different  forms  of  things,  and  especially  of  different  species 
of  living  beings,  out  of  the  already  created  material  (Gen  1:2-31). 
The  former,  of  course,  was  instantaneous  and  due  solely  to  the  act 
of  God;  the  latter  was  gradual  and  the  result  of  the  cooperation  of 
God  with  what  He  had  called  into  being. 

b.  The  distinctive  agent  in  the  zvhole  work  of  creation  is  the  sec- 
ond person  of  the  Godhead,  the  Son  or  Word  of  God  (John  1:3). 

c.  The  process  of  creation,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  is  and 
must  be  incomprehensible  to  all  save  God.  The  basal  fact  is  that 
the  material  of  the  universe  was  called  into  being  "out  of  nothing" 
by  the  command  of  the  Son  of  God  (Ps.  XXXni:6;  Heb.  XI:  3). 

d.  The  mediate  creation,  or  the  formation  of  the  material  thus 
brought  into  being,  took  place  in  six  stages  or  in  six  "days."  These, 
as  the  scriptural  usage  of  the  word  permits  and  as  science  estab- 
lishes, were  periods  of  indefinite  length. 

e.  Tlie  zvhole  creation,  zvhcn  finished  by  God,  zvas,  as  His  nature 
demanded  of  His  work,'"very  good''  (Gen.  I:  31).  There  was  not 
even  a  tendency  to  evil  in  the  world  as  God  made  it,  and  every  being 
and  every  thing  in  it  was  perfectly  fitted  to  realize  its  inherent  end 
in  His  supremely  glorious  plan. 

D.  God  goes  on  in  the  Execution  of  His  Plan  by  His  Work 
of  Providence.  This  includes  : — 

a.  Preservation,  (i)  Having  called  the  material  of  the  world  into 
existence  and  given  to  it  its  form,  God  continues  to  uphold  it  as  a 
whole  and  in  all  its  parts,  properties,  and  powers  (Heb.  1 :  3 ;  Ps. 
CIV).  (2)  This  does  not  mean  that  living  creatures  do  not  have 
life  in  themselves  or  that  things  do  not  exist  as  real  individuals ;  it 
does  mean  that  the  former  do  not  have  life  of  themselves  and  that 
the  latter  do  not  exist  of  themselves.     Both,  and  both  equally,  de- 


20  CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE 


pend  absolutely  on  God  for  their  continuance  as  well  as  for  their 
creation   (Ps.  CIV:  27-30). 

b.  Government.  Thus  God  secures  certainly  and  perfectly  that  the 
world,  as  a  whole  and  in  every  one  of  its  parts,  which  He  has  cre- 
ated and  is  preserving,  shall  accomplish  His  "purpose  or  plan. 

(i)  This  government  of  God  is  universal  and  absolute.  It  effects 
precisely  what  God  from  the  first  intended  (Dan.  IV:  35),  and  it 
does  this  without  exception.  Thus  God's  control  extends  over  (a) 
nature  (Acts  XIV:  17),  (b)  over  the  animal  world  (Job  XII:  10), 
(c)  over  nations  (Dan.  II:  21),  (d)  over  individual  men  (Prov. 
XVI:  9),  (e)  over  the  free  acts  of  men  (Prov.  XVI:  i),  (f)  even 
over  sinful  actions  and  states  (Ps.  LXXVI:io).  Hence,  nothing 
comes  to  pass  which  is  not  providential,  nothing  which  God  has  not 
foreseen  and  brought  about  in  accordance  with  His  eternal  and  ab- 
solutely righteous  and  infinitely  blessed  purpose  or  plan. 

(2)  God  stands,  however,  in  a  different  relation  to  different 
classes  of  events,  (a)  To  sinful  acts  and  states  His  relation  is  per- 
missive. It  is,  however,  never  a  bare  permission.  Sinful  acts  and 
states  occur  because  God  has  determined  that  they  should,  and  to 
the  degree  to  which  and  for  the  ends  for  which  He  has  determined 
(Ps.  LXXVI:io).  Between  them  and  all  other  acts  and  states 
there  is  no  difference  so  far  as  God's  control  over  them  is  concerned. 
The  difference  between  God's  relation  to  them  and  to  other  acts 
and  states  is  that,  though  He  freely  determines  to  permit  them  to 
occur.  Pie  always  abhors  them  (Zech.  VIII :  17)  I  and  though  He 
determines  to  permit  them  for  His  glory  and  ever  controls  and  over- 
rules them  to  this  end.  He  never  originates  or  contributes  to  the 
evil  in  them  (James  1 :  13,  14).  (b)  To  all  other  than  sinful  acts 
and  states  God's  relation,  even  when  not  efficient,  is  positive.  He 
approves  them  and  contributes  to  them  as  well  as  permits  and  up- 
holds or  directs  them.  Yet  here,  too,  there  are  important  differ- 
ences :  God  cooperates  with  the  forces  of  nature  in  the  production 
of  their  appropriate  effects  (I  Cor.  XV:38).  He  so  combines  these 
forces  as  specially  to  determine  their  appropriate  effects  when  other- 
wise these  would  not  realize  His  particular  ends.  Thus  He  sends 
rain  at  one  time  rather  than  at  another  (James  V:  17,  18).  He 
exercises  a  like  control  over  mankind  (Prov.  XVI:  9).  That  is, 
God  does  on  His  immense  scale  what  every  man  does  on  his  little 
scale ;  He  so  directs  nature  that  it  carries  out  His  plan ;  and  what 


god's  work  of  creation  and  providence  21 

we  call  "special"  or  "extraordinary  providences"  arise  in  proportion 
as  the  divine  direction  appears  (John  XXI:  ii).  Again,  through  the 
truth  of  the  gospel  or  through  the  natural  light  of  reason  or  of 
conscience,  God  acts  graciously  on  all  men,  to  a  greater  or  less  ex- 
tent, restraining  them  from  evil  and  persuading  them  to  good  (Acts 
VII:  51).  Once  more,  God  acts  immediately,  both  on  the  world 
and  on  men.  In  addition  to  cooperating  with  nature  and  directing 
it  and  working  through  and  on  the  truth  revealed  in  it  and  to  it, 
He  interposes  supernaturally  in  it.  He  puts  out  His  own  hand  and 
performs  works  called  "miracles,"  which  only  His  own  immediate 
power  could  have  produced  (John  XI :  43,  44)  ;  and  He  does  in  the 
souls  of  those  whom  He  makes  "new  men  in  Christ"  what  even 
"the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,"  though  applied  and  reenforced  by  Him- 
self, could  not  by  itself  have  effected  (Eph.  II :  5). 

(3)  As  to  the  ultimate  method  of  God's  action  in  any  of  the  ways 
just  mentioned,  whether  through  natural  causes  or  directly,  we 
know  nothing  save  that  it  must  be  consistent  with  God  Himself 
(II  Tim.  II:  13).  (a)  This,  however,  implies:  That  it  is  in- 
variably righteous  (Gen.  XVIII:  25),  and  that  it  is  perfectly  con- 
gruous to  the  nature  of  His  creatures  and  with  the  laws  of  their 
action.  This  nature  and  these  laws  are  His  work,  and,  therefore, 
it  is  impossible  to  think  of  Him  as  ever  violating  them,  and  He  does 
not  suspend  them  (Gen.  VIII:  22).  Hence,  so  far  from  destroy- 
ing human  freedom,  it  is  God's  plan  to  develop  it  (Phil.  II:  13); 
and  so  far  from  His  accomplishment  of  His  plan  keeping  any  who 
call  on  His  name  from  salvation,  it  is  precisely  because  of  His 
fidelity  to  His  plan  that  "whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  saved"  (Rom.  X:  13).  (b)  How  God's  operation  can 
always  be  thus  congruous  with  the  nature  of  all  His  creatures  and 
with  all  the  laws  of  their  action  will  appear  when  we  remember,  that 
God  has  planned  whatever  comes  to  pass  and  constituted  whatever 
is  (Eph.  I:  II;  John  1:3),  that  the  essence  of  everything  and  the 
relations  of  all  things  are  comprehended  by  Him  (Ps.  CXXXIX ; 
Heb.  IV:  13),  and  that  He  is  ever  present  and  active  within  the 
inmost  constitution  of  all  things  (Acts  XVII:  28). 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  NATURE  AND  ORIGINAL  STATE  OF  MAN  * 

We  have  now  glanced  at  the  bihHcal  doctrine  with  respect  to  God's 
word,  His  nature,  His  purpose  and  activity.  How  does  all  this  bear 
on  ourselves?  Thus  we  are  led  to  inquire  as  to  the  biblical  doctrine 
of  man. 

A.    Tlie  Nature  of  Man. 

a.  Man  consists  of  two  distinct  principles,  a  soul  and  a  body 
(Alatt.  X:28).  (i)  The  soul  of  man  is  a  real  existence;  it  itself 
thinks  and  feels  and  v»^ills  as  truly  as  the  body  breathes  and  eats  and 
moves,  and  we  are  conscious  that  what  in  us  thinks  and  feels  and 
wills  remains  identically  what  it  was.  Hence,  the  soul  is  not  a  mere 
series  of  mental  acts  or  states;  it  is  not  a  form  of  the  life  of  God; 
it  is  not  simply  a  force ;  it  is  a  spiritual  existence  that  acts  and  on 
which  God  acts  and  which  has  force  of  its  own,  as  truly  an  ex- 
istence as  the  body  itself  (Matt.  XVI:  26).  (2)  The  soul  is  a  real 
existence  distinct  and  different  from  the  body ;  it  is  neither  a  finer 
form  of  the  body  nor  a  result  of  the  activities  of  the  bodi-;  its  ex- 
istence is  its  own  (Dan.  VH  :  15).  (3)  Soul  and  body  are,  both  of 
them,  essential  parts  of  man.  The  body  is  not  simply  "the  casket  of 
the  soul."  H  without  the  spirit  or  soul  the  body  becomes  "dust,"  so 
without  the  body  the  soul  is  only  "a  spirit";  it  is  not  a  complete 
man  (Eccl.  XH :  7). 

b.  The  soul  is  the  vital,  the  intellectual,  the  moral,  the  religious, 
principle  in  man,  that  is,  the  self  itself  (Matt.  XVI:  26).  It  is  be- 
cause we  have  souls  that  we  are  not  things ;  and  it  is  because  we  are 
self-conscious,  moral,  and  religious  souls,  i.  e.,  persons,  that  we 
are  not  mere  animals. 

c.  The  sonl  of  man  is  free  or  sclf-dctcruiiiii)ig.  We  can  always 
choose,  and  we  always  do  choose  as  we  really  wish  to  choose  (Matt. 

*See  "Confession  of  Faith,"  Chapters  VII  and  IX;  also  "Popular  Lectures 
on  Theological  Themes,"  Lectures  VIII,   IX. 

22 


THE    NATURE    AND   ORIGINAL    STATE   OF    MAN  23 

XII:  34).  That  is,  as  we  never  choose  without  a  sufficient  reason; 
so  that  reason  is  never  ultimately  in  anything  external  to  us,  nor 
in  anything  merely  physical  or  instinctive  even  within  us,  but  ever 
in  our  own  individual  wills  expressing  our  own  rational  natures. 
Hence,  we  are  invariably  responsible  for  our  voluntary  acts  and  for 
our  choices  and  even  for  our  dispositions ;  they  are  our  own ;  they 
express  always  our  own  selves  (Josh.  XXIV:  15). 

d.  The  soul  of  man  is  naturally  immortal.  In  this  respect  also  we 
differ  from  the  animals  (Eccl.  Ill:  21)  :  though  we  depend  on  God 
for  the  continuance  of  our  existence  as  truly  as  do  they,  yet,  it  being 
His  purpose  to  sustain  us  forever,  He  has  constituted  our  souls  for 
immortality   (Matt.  XXV:  46). 

B.  The  Origin  of  Man. 

a.  The  soul  of  Adam,  the  Urst  man,  was  created  immediately  by 
God  out  of  nothing  (Gen.  II :  7;  Eccl.  XII :  7). 

b.  Adam's  body,  hozvever,  zuas  formed  out  of  preexisting  material 
but  also  by  the  intervention  of  God.  It  did  not  grow  of  itself;  nor 
was  it  wholly  produced  by  any  process  of  providential  but  natural 
evolution:  God  Himself,  in  co5peration  with  nature,  worked  it  up 
(Gen.  11:7).  When  we  inquire  the  date,  or  the  precise  method  of 
His  creation  of  man  we  meet  the  unknown. 

C.  The  Original  State  of  Man. 

a.  Man  zvas  created  in  a  state  of  maturity  and  perfection.  He  was 
created  perfectly  adapted  to  the  end  for  which  he  was  made  and  to 
the  sphere  in  which  he  was  to  move.  Though  as  to  m.any  things  he 
must  have  known  much  less  than  we  know,  he  could  learn  all  that 
his  situation  required ;  and  though  his  body  must  have  been  suffi- 
ciently susceptible  to  pain  to  insure  his  safety,  it  was  not  subject,  as 
are  ours,  to  sickness  and  infirmity  (Gen.  II), 

b.  Man  zvas  created  "in  the  image  of  God"  (Gen.  1:27).  He  was 
made  like  God;  and  this  likeness,  as  was  observed,  consists  in  our 
intellectual  and  moral  nature.  As  God  is,  we  are  endowed  with 
reason,  conscience,  and  will.  Thus,  as  He  is,  we  are  spirits  or 
persons.  Hence,  we  can  pray  to  Him  and  He  can  speak  to  us;  and 
so,  because  of  this  community  of  nature,  communion  with  God  and 
thus  religion  become  possible. 

c.  Man  zvas  created  righteous.  He  was  precisely  what  such  an 
intellectual  and  moral  being  as  he  was  ought  to  be  (Gen.  I:  31). 
This  involved,  of  course,   (i)   The  harmony  and  equilibrium  of  his 


24  CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE 


constitution.  His  reason  was  subject  to  God;  his  will,  to  his  rea- 
son; his  affections  and  appetites,  to  his  will;  his  body,  to  his  soul. 
(2)  Knowledge,  righteousness,  and  holiness  (Col.  Ill:  10;  Eph. 
IV:  24),  By  knowledge  is  meant  especially  the  knowledge  of  God. 
Man  was  created  having  this ;  Adam  knew  "God  as  really  as  God 
knew  him  (Gen.  111:8).  The  principles  of  the  law  of  God,  too, 
were  implanted  in  his  nnture  (Rom.  II:  14,  15).  By  righteousness 
and  holiness  is  meant,  not  only  that  Adam  knew  his  duty  perfectly 
and  had  all  the  faculties  for  its  performance,  but  also  that  he  had 
the  disposition  to  do  it  and  actually  did  it.  At  all  times  he  did  and 
was  all  that  he  ought. 

d.  Man  zcas  created  zvith  dominion  over  the  creatures.  This  arose 
from  the  power  with  which  he  v/as  invested  and  from  the  express 
appointment  of  God.  He  made  man  for  absolutely  universal  do- 
minion, so  far  as  creatures  are  concerned   (Heb.  11:8). 

D.  God's  Covenant  witlx  Man.  Man,  because  created  in  com- 
munion with  God,  was,  as  we  have  seen,  perfectly  righteous,  "but, 
because  finite,  he  was  not,  in  and  of  himself,  infallibly  righteous. 
Therefore,  God  entered  into  a  covenant  of  life  with  him.  That 
man  might  develop  himself  morally  and  thus  merit,  and  so  become 
confirmed  in  and.  enjoy  forever,  the  fruit  of  the  blessed  state  of 
communion  with  God  and  consequent  righteousness  hi  which  he  was 
created,  God  condescended  to  make  the  following  agreement  with 
him  (Gen.  II:  16,  17)  :— 

a.  God,  on  His  part,  promised  to  man  life  (Luke  X:28).  (i) 
Man's  body,  instead  of  wearing  out,  should  be  continued  in  vigor 
forever  (Rom.  V:i2).  (2)  Man's  soul  should  be  supernaturally 
established  in  communion  with  God,  in  the  resulting  righteousness, 
and  so  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  divine  favor,  in  which  is  life 
(Ps.  XXX:  5). 

b.  God  conditioned  this  covenant  on  man's  perfect  obedience  (Gal. 
Ill:  10).  As  man  was  able  and  disposed  to  obey,  as  he  was  most 
favorably  situated  for  obedience,  and  as  his  present  prosperity  and 
true  happiness  lay  in  it,  so  God  required  this  of  him  if  he  would  be 
confirmed  by  Him  in  it  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  it. 

c.  The  penalty  attached  to  disobedience  zvas  death  (Gen.  II:  17). 
In  the  event  of  disobedience,  (t)  the  body  should  be  destroyed  by 
disease  and  violence;  and  (2)  the  soul  should  lose  communion  with 


THE   NATURE   AND   ORIGINAL    STATE  OF   MAN  25 

God  and  the  consequent  righteousness,  and  should  become  exposed 
to  His  wrath  and  curse  (Gen.  II:  17;  Gal,  III:  10). 

Such  was  the  supremely  favorable  and  yet  unspeakably  solemn 
condition  in  which  man  was  created  and  started  on  his  career.  He 
was  given  the  best  opportunity  conceivable  to  secure  for  himself  and 
his  posterity  perpetually  indestructible  life  and  blessedness,  though 
this  appointment,  of  course,  necessarily  involved  the  fatal  possibility 
of  losing  them. 


CHAPTER  V 

SIN  * 

Perfect  and  blessed  though  man's  original  state  was,  his  present 
condition  is  far  otherwise.  Conscience  condemns  him  (Rom.  II :  15, 
16).  Even  when  he  would  do  good,  "evil  is  present"  (Rom. 
VII:  21).  He  is  born  to  trouble  (Job  V:7).  He  is  subject  to 
pain  and  death  (Gen.  HI:  19).  The  world  around  him  is  in  like 
manner  and  on  account  of  him  disordered  and  miserable  (Gen. 
HI:  17;  Rom.  VIII:  22).  Evidently  he  has  fallen  from  the  good 
and  glorious  estate  in  which  God  created  him ;  he  has  come  under 
the  penalty  of  the  covenant  of  life;  he  has  not  fulfilled  his  part  of  it; 
he  has  sinned  (Rom.  V:  12), 

A.    The  Nature  of  Sin. 

a.  Sin  is  not  a  being  or  a  thing.  It  cannot  be  this:  for  God  made 
all  that  is,  except  Himself  (John  1:3)  ;  and  all  that  He  made  was, 
as  He  made  it,  "very  good"   (Gen.  I:  31). 

b.  As  evil  is  a  state  consisting  in  deviation  from  good,  so  sin  is  a 
specific  evil;  it  is  deviation  from  laiv,  or  lawlessness  (I  John  HI :  4). 

c.  The  law  in  the  violation  or  neglect  of  which  sin  consists  is  not 
our  own  happiness,  nor  the  greatest  good  of  the  greatest  number  of 
beings,  nor  yet  the  eternal  fitness  of  things,  nor  even  our  own 
reason ;  it  is  that  toward  which  all  these  point  and  on  obedience  to 
which  all  these  depend,  the  law  of  God,  the  expressed  will  of  Him 
whose  nature  is,  as  we  saw,  both  the  ground  and  the  standard  of 
right  (Rom.  II:  15;  III:  19). 

d.  The  state  of  lazvlessness  in  zvhich  sin  consists  can  be  aMrmed 
only  of  rational  and  moral  beings.  Only  such  can  recognize  and  feel 
the  claim  of  God's  law ;  only  such,  consequently,  can  be  responsible 
to  it ;  only  such,  therefore,  can  transgress  or  ignore  it.  The  Bible 
attributes  sin  to  angels  and  men,  1)ut  never  to  the  lower  animals. 

e.  Rational  and  moral  beings  can  sin  in  virtue  of  their  voluntary 

*Sce  "Confession   of  Faith,"   Chapter   \'l. 

26 


SIN  27 

nature.  The  reason  for  this  is  that  as  inclination  from  law,  in  which 
sin  consists,  presupposes  responsibility  to  law,  so  this  can  be  af- 
firmed only  of  self-determination  or  voluntariness  as  distinguished 
from  what  is  simply  created.  Thus  our  natural  appetites,  desires, 
and  affections,  while  they  may  become  occasions  of  sin,  are  not 
themselves  sinful;  they  result  entirely  from  the  constitution  which 
God  gave  to  Adam,  and  for  which,  therefore,  if  it  had  been  evil,  God 
could  not  hold  him  or  anyone,  save  Himself,  responsible.  Even, 
however,  the  merest  inclination  of  these  feelings,  desires,  or  appe- 
tites from  their  divinely  appointed  objects  or  measure  will  be  sinful; 
not  only  are  they  inclinations  from  what  God  has  required,  they  are 
wholly  our  own  and  in  no  sense  God-made.  Hence,  the  Bible  says 
(Jer.  XVU-.g),  'The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  it  is 
exceedingly  corrupt."  The  heart  is  the  voluntary  nature ;  it  is  self- 
determination;  it  expresses  what  one  is  himself;  it  is  the  man  him- 
self; because  only  it  is  self-determination,  only  it  can  be  the  man 
himself  (Matt.  XV:  19). 

f.  Sin  can  attach  to  the  voluntary  nature  in  every  one  of  its  forms. 
All  our  actions  not  merely  mechanical,  whether  deliberate  or  only 
impulsive,  can  be  sinful ;  and  this  is  as  true  of  our  habits  and  even 
of  our  dispositions.  In  so  far  as  we  incline  it  is  our  own  act  or 
state ;  and  in  so  far  as  our  own  act  or  state  is  away  from  what  God 
requires  or  is,  it  is  sin  (Eph.  IV:  18,  19). 

B.    The  Origin  of  Sin. 

a.  The  first  sin  of  man  was  his  inclination  for  knowledge  through 
means  forbidden  by  God  (Gen.  IH :  1-6). 

b.  This  inclination  expressed:  (i)  Unbelief.  Adam  doubted  the 
wisdom  of  the  divine  prohibition  and  the  certainty  of  the  divine 
threatening.  (2)  Disobedience.  Adam  set  his  will. in  opposition  to 
God's  will. 

c.  This,  man's  first  sinful  inclination,  zvas  self-originated.  He 
started  this  first  evil  inclination  out  of  nothing,  purely  by  his  own 
self-determination.  It  must  have  been  so :  for  .although  in  our  case 
to-day  sin  is  the  self-determined  result  of  our  own  corrupt  nature 
(James  I:  14),  Adam's  nature  was  "very  good";  and  although 
God  can  and  does  start  good  inclinations  out  of  nothing.  He  can 
not  start  evil  ones   (James  1:13). 

d.^  There  was,  however,  an  external  occasion  for  man's  first  sinful 
inclination  in  the  temptation  by  the  serpent  (Gen.  Ill:  1-5)  ;  i.  e.,  by 


28 


CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE 


Satan  in  the  form  of  a  serpent  (Rev.  XX:  2).  This  occasion, 
though  it  does  not  explain,  does  lighten  the  mystery  which  sur- 
rounds the  beginning  of  man's  first  sin. 

e.  The  true  origin  of  sin,  therefore,  is  to  be  referred  to  the  fall  of 
Satan  and  his  angels,  (i)  When  or  how  or  why  this  took  place,  we 
do  not  know  fully.  The  Bible  does  not  tell  us,  and  there  are  so 
many  unknown  quantities  in  the  problem  that  reason  cannot  solve  it. 
(2)  We  do  know,  however,  (a)  from  the  narrative,  that  Satan  must 
have  fallen  before  man  fell;  (b)  from  God's  estimate  of  the  crea- 
tion, that  He  made  Satan  a  holy  angel,  and  then  he  let  himself  de- 
generate into  a  devil;  (c)  from  God's  nature,  that  He  abhors  sin 
with  infinite  abhorrence  and  could  have  forever  kept  Satan  from 
originating  it;  (d)  from  God's  plan,  that  He  determined  to  permit 
it  in  order  to  the  better  making  known  of  His  excellence;  (e)  from 
God's  love,  that  He  would  tell  us  all  concerning  it,  did  we  need  to 
know;  and  (f)  that,  consequently,  it  must  be  very  wrong  as  well  as 
foolish  for  us  to  let  our  necessary  ignorance  on  this  subject  shake 
our  faith  in  God's  goodness,  or  interfere  with  our  activity  or  com- 
fort. The  child  does  not  cease  rejoicing  in  his  father's  love  for  him 
because  he  does  not  know  enough  to  understand  all  of  his  father's 
course  before  he  himself  was  born. 

C.  The  Extent  of  Sin. 

a.  //  is  universal.  All  men,  without  exception,  are  sinners 
(I  Kings  VHI:46). 

b.  It  is  all-pervasive.  Every  human  being  is  totally  depraved 
(Rom.  VH:  18).  (i)  This  does  not  mean  that  all  men  are  equally 
bad,  or  that  any  man  is  as  bad  as  he  could  be,  or  that  anyone  is 
destitute  of  virtue  (Rom.  H:  14).  (2)  It  does  mean  that  by  nature 
all  men  are  out  of  communion  with  God  and  so  are  totally — in  all 
their  parts,  faculties,  and  powers— cut  off  from  the  source  of  all 
righteousness  (Col.  I:  21).  There  is  in  them  no  principle  of  spir- 
itual and  moral  life.  Their  very  virtues  are  but  picked  and  fading 
flowers. 

D.  The  Reason  for  the  Universality  of  Sin  is  to  be  found 
in  Adam's  Relation  to  All  Men  (Rom.  V:  17-19). 

a.  Humanity  zcas  constituted  a  race.  Adam  was  not  only  the 
first  of  men,  but  also  the  common  ancestor  of  all  men.  Hence,  he 
was  called  by  a  generic  name,  Adam,  the  Man  (Gen.  H:;).  Man- 
kind, therefore,  is  not  a  company  of  independent  individuals,  but  is 


SIN  29 

a  series  the  members  of  which,  through  descent  from  a  common  an- 
cestor and  the  possession  of  a  common  nature,  form  a  unity  more 
truly  than  do  the  citizens  of  a  nation  (Acts  XVII:  26).  Conse- 
quently, as  a  nation  can,  they  can  be  acted  for  by  a  proper  public 
person  and  so  can  themselves  be  treated  as  having  themselves  acted 
in  that  person. 

b.  As  our  common  ancestor,  Adam  zuas  a  proper  public  person, 
and  he  zvas  appointed  by  God  to  be  such.  That  is,  the  "covenant  of 
life"  referred  to  in  the  last  chapter  was  made  with  him,  not  for  him- 
self only,  but  also  for  all  his  posterity.  If  he  stood  his  probation, 
they  would  be  confirmed  in  righteousness  with  him.  If  he  fell,  they 
would  fall  with  him  (Gen.  II:  17;  Rom.  V:  12). 

c.  Since  Adam,  as  the  penalty  and  consequence  of  his  ozvn  sin, 
lost  communion  with  God;  so  all  his  posterity,  inasmuch  as  he 
acted  for  them  and  they  in  him,  are  born  under  his  penalty  and  are 
subject  to  the  same  consequences,  and  thus,  as  he  came  to  be,  are 
out  of  communion  with  God   (I  Cor.  XV:  22). 

d.  //  it  be  asked,  Why  is  it  that  the  fortunes  of  the  race  have  been 
thus  staked  on  the  conduct  of  one?  it  may  be  said:  (i)  That  we 
cannot  solve  the  problem,  does  not  affect  the  fact  that  the  word  of 
God  so  teaches  positively  and  plainly.  (2)  Neither  should  it  lead 
us  to  doubt  the  righteousness  of  God.  This,  as  we  have  seen,  is 
always  guaranteed  by  His  nature  (Gen.  XVIII:  25).  (3)  No  fairer 
probation  could  be  conceived  than  that  which  the  human  race  had  in 
Adam;  for  he  was  creat-ed  (a)  in  full  possession  of  his  faculties, 
(b)  in  the  perfect  image  of  God,  and  (c)  in  a  most  favorable  en- 
vironment. (4)  It  was  just  such  an  arrangement  as  we  deem  best 
in  national  affairs,  and,  therefore,  presumably,  as  each  one  of  us 
would  have  chosen  for  himself  in  this  matter,  could  we  have  been 
consulted  in  advance.  (5)  It  was  part  of  a  glorious  constitution 
which  culminates  in  the  headship  of  Christ  as  our  Redeemer 
(I  Cor.  XV:  22). 

E.    The  Consequences  of  Adam's  Sin. 

a.  All  men  are  born  guilty  before  God.  They  are  under  the  pen- 
alty of  His  law  (Eph.  II :  3). 

b.  All  men,  therefore,  even  infants  who  have  never  sinned  in  their 
own  persons,  are  subject  to  death,  spiritual,  physical,  eternal  (Rom. 
VI:  23;  V:  12-14).     This  is  the  penalty  of  Adam's  sin. 


30  CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE 


c.  As  spiritual  death  consists  in  the  loss  of  communion  zcith  God, 
zvho  is  the  life  of  the  soul,  so  in  all  it  must  issue: — 

(i)  In  the  absence   of  the   righteousness   which  Adam  forfeited 

(Job  XIV:  4). 

(2)  In  "original  sin"  or  general  corruption  of  nature.  This  is 
truly  and  positively  sinful  (Gen.  VI :  5  ;  Jer.  XVII :  9).  Though  sin 
is  rooted  only  in  our  voluntary  nature,  man's  intellect  and  body  are 
affected  by  it  as  really  as  his  heart.  The  former  is  darkened 
(Rom.  1: 21);  the  latter  is  diseased  (Rom.  VIII:  22);  even  the 
ground  is  cursed  for  man's  sin  (Gen.  Ill:  17). 

(3)  In  actual  transgressions.  All  manifest  sin  as  soon  as  they 
become  old  enough  for  moral  action  (Prov.  XXII:  15). 

(4)  In  utter  inability  for  all  spiritual  good  (Eph.  II:  i).  (a) 
This  does  not  mean  that  original  sin  or  actual  transgression  destroys 
any  faculty  of  the  soul,  or  impairs  self-determination,  or  is  at  once 
destructive  of  the  natural  virtues,  (b)  It  does  mean  that,  though  v^e 
could  keep  the  whole  law  if  we  would^  we  are  not  by  nature  inclined 
so  to  do,  and  we  cannot  incline  ourselves  against  ourselves ;  and 
that  the  reason  why  we  are  not  so  inclined  is  that  by  the  corruption 
of  our  whole  nature  our  understanding  is  blinded  as  to  spiritual 
realities  and  bur  tastes  and  feelings  are  perverted  (I  Cor.  II :  8,  g, 
14).  Hence,  we  cannot  even  turn  to  Christ  unless  God  draw  us 
(John  VI:  44).  We  have  the  faculties  to  do  so,  but  we  can  see 
nothing  to  desire  in  Him. 

Such  are  the  awful  as  well  as  universal  consequences  of  the  sin 
of  our  first  parent.  Because  of  it  we  are  all  born  "children  of 
wrath,"  and  with  a  nature  so  corrupt  as  continually  to  increase  our 
guilt  and  also  to  disable  us  for  all  spiritual  good. 


CHAPTER  VI 

REDEMPTION  * 

Redemption  is  the  cure  of  sin.  It  is  also  the  revelation,  not  only 
to  men,  but  even  to  angels  (Eph.  111:9,  lo),  of  "the  unsearchable 
riches  of  God's  grace,"  the  most  glorious  as  well  as  mysterious  trait 
of  His  moral  character.  That  v^e  do  not  find  in  this  a  complete 
explanation  of  His  permission  of  sin,  is  simply  because  no  finite 
mind  can  appreciate  salvation   (Rom.  XI 133). 

A.  The  Necessity  of  Redemption  arises  out  of  the  Sinner^s 
Lost  and  Helpless   Condition. 

a.  He  is  in  such  a  relation  to  God  that  the  very  righteousness  of 
the  latter  demands  his  eternal  punishment.  By  reason  of  his  sin  he 
has  not  only  lost  communion  with  God,  but  has  come  under  the  ever- 
lasting condemnation  of  His  law  (Matt.  XXV:  46;  Gal.  HI:  10). 
Hence,  God  cannot  pardon  him  any  more  than  the  judge  may  dismiss 
the  convicted  criminal.  In  the  latter  case  the  law  forbids.  In  the 
former  case  the  divine  nature,  which  is  the  ultimate  foundation  of 
law,  prevents  (II  Tim.  II:  13).  A  full  satisfaction  for  sin  must 
be  rendered  (Heb.  IX:  22).  Otherwise,  the  order  and  existence  of 
all  things  would  be  imperiled,  for  God  himself  would  be  dethroned. 

b.  TJiis  satisfaction  the  sinner  cannot  render  for  himself,  (i)  He 
is  incapable  of  self-reformation,  for  he  cannot  make  himself  holy 
(Eph.  11:5).  (2)  If  he  could,  he  could  meet  only  the  present  de- 
mands of  the  divine  law,  the  sins  of  the  past  would  still  cry  out  for 
judgment   (Matt.  XII:  36). 

c.  The  necessity  of  redemption,  while  thus  absolute  as  regards  the 
sinner,  is,  however,  only  relative  as  regards  God.  (i)  If  the  sinner 
is  to  be  saved,  God  must  save  him  (Acts.  IV:  12).  (2)  But  it  is 
in  no  sense  necessary  that  the  sinner  should  be  saved,  (a)  Every 
demand   of  justice   would  be   met   by   his   punishment,      (b)    Were 

*See  "Confession  of  Faith,"  Chapters  VII,  VIII,  X,  XI,  XII,  XIV,  XV, 
XXXIV,  XXXV;  also  "Popular  Lectures  on  Theological  Themes,"  Lectures 
IX,   X,   XI,   XIL 

31 


32  CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE 


God  simply  to  let  His  law  take  its  course,  He  would  still  do  all 
that  He  ought  and  He  could  still  be  all  that  He  ought.  God  cannot 
be  under  any,  even  the  least,  obligation  to  save  those  who  deserve 
only  punishment   (Eph.  11:1-5). 

B.  The  Source  of  Redemption,  then,  must  be  God's  Unde- 
served Benevolence  for  Sinners    (John   in:i6). 

a.  This  loTC  for  sinners  is  not  confined  to  the  Son,  hut  is  shared 
equally  by  each  person  of  the  Trinity   (I  John  IV:  14). 

b.  So  far  from  being  explicable  and  natural  on  the  ground  of  the 
misery  of  our  race,  it  is  incomprehensible  because:  (i)  This  misery 
is  the  just  penalty  of  man's  own  sin  (Rom.  VI:  23).  (2)  Sin  is  an 
offense  directly  against  God  and  so  directly  against  love  (I  John 
IV:  8).  Hence,  the  supreme  proof  of  love  is  that  God  gave  His  Son 
to  die  for  sinners  (Rom.  V:8). 

C.  God's  Compassionate  Love  for  the  Sinful  and  Lost 
Race  of  Man  expresses  Itself  in  the  Choice  of  an  Innumer- 
able Multitude  of  Them  (Rev.  VII :  9)  that  He  may  forever 
delight  Himself  in  Them  and  in  His  "Kindness"  to  Them 
(Eph.  11:7). 

a.  That  God  should  thus  choose  out  those  zvJio  sJiould  be  tJie 
objects  of  His  grace  zuas  the  necessity  of  the  case,  unless  all  sin- 
ners were  to  receive  it  alike. 

b.  JJ'ith  regard  to  God's  choice  of  the  sinners  zvhom  He  zcill 
make  the  objects  of  His  special  love,  zdiat  zc'e  have  observed  as  to 
God's  nature  and  plan  assures  us:  (i)  It  is  an  eternal  choice  (Eph. 
1:4).  (2)  It  is  a  choice  of  individuals  as  individuals  (John  X:3). 
(3)  It  is  a  choice  unto  holiness  and  eternal  life  (I  Pet.  I:  5-9).  (4) 
Its  reason  in  each  particular  case  is  in  God,  and  not  in  any  faith  or 
obedience  that  He  foresees  in  any  (Eph.  1:5).  It  must  be  so.  In 
the  case  of  those  who,  as  all  men,  are  by  nature  "dead  through 
trespasses  and  sins,"  when  God  foresees  faith  and  obedience,  it  can 
be.  only  because  He  has  determined  himself  to  give  them.  (5)  As 
to  why  God  does  not  choose  all  for  eternal  life,  we  may  say:  (a) 
It  cannot  be  through  any  lack  of  power  to  save  (Heb.  VII:  25; 
Prov.  XXI:  i).  (b)  Neither  can  it  be  because  of  any  lack  of  wish 
to  save  (I  Tim.  11:4).  (c)  It  must  be,  therefore,  that,  for  reasons 
that  we  cannot  yet  fully  understand,  a  universal  choice  would  be  in- 
consistent with  His  righteousness. 


REDEMPTION  ^^ 


D.  The  Father  carries  out  this  Purpose  of  Salvation 
through  a  Redeemer. 

a.  This  redeemer  is  His  "only-hegotten  and  zvcU-hclovcd  Son," 
the  second  person  of  the  Trinity  (John  III:  i6;  Eph.  1:4). 

b.  Tliis  redeemer,  as  Adam  zuas,  is  appointed  to  be  and  by  the 
constitution  of  His  person  is  fitted  to  be,  a  public  person.  As  Adam 
represented  and  acted  for  and  in  the  place  of  the  whole  human  race 
before  the  law  of  God,  so  before  it  the  Son  of  God  represents  and 
acts  for  and  in  the  place  of  all  of  the  human  race  given  to  Him  by 
the  Father  for  redemption  from  the  curse  of  the  law  (I  Cor. 
XV:  22;  John  VI:  39). 

E.  God's  Purpose  in  appointing  His  Son  thus  to  redeem 
Those  Whom  He  has  chosen  is:  — 

a.  That  every  one  given  to  the  Son  for  salvation  should  be  saved 
(John  VI:  39). 

b.  That  this  salvation  should  be  certain  from  the  first  (Rom. 
VIII :  29,  30),  and  that  it  should  be  complete  (I  Cor.  1:30;  Col. 
II:  10).  God  would  have  His  "great  salvation"  perfect  as  He  Him- 
self is. 

F.  The  Son  of  God  became  the  Redeemer  of  All  Those 
given  to  Him  by  the  Father  by  taking  into  Union  ivith 
Himself  Our  Nature  (John  I:  14;  Phil.  II:5-ii),  and  by  put- 
ting Himself  in  our  place  in  the  sight  of  God  the  righteous 
Judge  (Gal.  IV:  4). 

a.  This  He  did  by  being  conceived  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  third  person  of  the  Trinity,  in  the  zvomb  of  the  Virgin 
Mary,  and  being  born  of  her  (Luke  1:31,  35).  (i)  As  this  birth 
was  supernatural  so  it  did  not  involve  our  Redeemer  in  His  mother's 
corruption.  He  Himself  was  "without  sin"  (Heb.  IV:  15).  (2)  As 
to  the  thus  constituted  person  of  our  Redeemer,  we  are  further 
taught:  (a)  He  had  a  complete  human  nature;  i.e.,  a  true  body 
(Heb.  II:  14)  and  a  reasonable  soul  (Matt.  XXVI:  38).  (b)  He 
had  a  true  divine  nature  (John  I:  1-14).  (c)  These  natures  exist  in 
Him  entire  and  distinct,  without  mixture  or  confusion  (John  VIII : 
58;  Luke  11:52).  (d)  Though  having  thus  two  minds  and  two 
wills.  He  is  one  person  (Rom.  IX:  5).  (e)-He  is  thus  God  and 
man  in  two  distinct  natures  and  one  person  forever  (Heb.  XIII:  8). 
We  cannot   explain   this,   for   we  know   of  nothing  like   it;   but   it 


34  CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE 


involves  no  contradiction,  and  it  is  no  more  incomprehensible 
than  the  union  of  soul  and  body  in  our  own  persons. 

b.  Christ  put  Himself  in  our  place  in  the  sight  of  God  the  right- 
eous Judge:  (i)  By  undertaking  to  obey  every  requirement  of  the 
law  on  us  (Matt.  Ill:  15).  (2)  By  subjecting  Himself  to  the 
miseries  of  this  life  (Isa.  LIII:3).  (3)  By  taking  on  Himself  the 
penalty  of  the  law  in  our  stead  (Gal.  HI:  13).  (4)  By  submitting 
Himself  to  be  buried  and  to  continue  under  the  power  of  death  for 
a  time  (I  Cor.  XX :  3,  4). 

G.  As  Our  Redeemei^  Christ  executes  Three  Offices:— 

a.  The  office  of  a  Prophet.  Thus  He  reveals  the  will  of  God  for 
our  salvation  (i)  by  His  Word  (John  I:  18),  and  (2)  by  His 
Spirit  (John  XIV:  26)  ;  and  so  He  causes  us  to  know  God. 

b.  The  office  of  a  Priest. 

(i)  Thus  He  satisfies  every  demand  of  the  divine  law.  This  He 
does  (a)  by  taking  the  place  of  each  one  of  those  given  to  Him  by 
the  Father  before  the  broken  law  of  God  (II  Cor.  V:2i),  just  as 
Adam  stood  in  the  place  of  each  member  of  the  human  race  before 
the  then  unbroken  law  of  God  (I  Cor.  XV '.22))  (b)  by  rendering 
through  His  perfect  earthly  and  human  life  the  complete  obedience 
due  from  each  one  of  them  (Heb.  Y-.J-g)  ;  (c)  by  enduring  in  His 
death  on  the  cross,  which  was  voluntary  (John  X :  18)  and  penal 
(Rom.  IV:  25)  and  in  the  strictest  sense  substitutionary  (]\Iark 
X:45)  and  because  of  His  divine  personality,  as  also  His  obedience, 
of  infinite  worth  (Heb.  IX:  14),  the  righteous  wrath  of  God- against 
their  sins  (Isa.  LIII:5)  ;  (d)  by  rising  from  the  dead  as  the  proof 
that  His  obedience  and  punishment  had  been  admitted  by  the  Father 
in  place  of  theirs  (Rom.  IV:  25);  (e)  by  ascending  to  the  right 
hand  of  the  Father  ever  to  urge  in  their  behalf,  and  specially  on  the 
occasion  of  their  particular  transgressions,  and  with  all  the  sym- 
pathy made  possible  by  His  human  nature  and  temptation  (Heb. 
II:  17,  18;  IV:  15),  the  merits  of  His  sacrificial  life  and  death 
ali-eady  accepted  in  lieu  of  theirs   (Heb.  VII:  25). 

(2)  The  effect  of  Christ's  priestly  work  is  threefold:  (a)  The 
guilt  of  every  one  of  the  objects  of  it,  as  soon  as  the  sinner  accepts 
of  it,  is  taken  away  (Rom.  VIII:  i).  (b)  God  is  then  and  thus 
reconciled  to  them  (Heb.  II:  17).  This  does  not  mean  that  Christ 
died  to  cause  God  to  love  those  whom  He  had  chosen.  On  the 
contrary,  as  we  have  seen,  it  was  because  of  God's  compassion  for 


REDEMPTION  35 


all  sinners  that  He  chose  any  and  gave  them  to  Christ  for  salvation 
(John  III:  16).  What  it  does  mean  is  that  Christ  obeyed  and  died 
and  rose  and  intercedes  for  those  whom  God  had  chosen,  that  it 
might  become  consistent  with  God's  absolute  righteousness  for  Him 
to  make  them  "the  sons"  of  His  special  love  in  rendering  them  such 
that  He  may  and  can  delight  Himself  in  them  and  they  in  Him 
(Rom.  HI:  26).  (c)  Their  relationship  to  God  is  completely  re- 
versed. As  regards  the  law  of  God,  they  have  changed  places  with 
Christ.  He  has  taken  on  Himself  all  their  liability  to  punishment 
and  all  their  obligation  to  perfect  obedience,  and,  consequently,  God 
views  them  and  treats  them  as  if  they  were  clothed  in  all  Christ's 
righteousness  (Rom.  X:4).  Hence,  their  sins  are  all  pardoned 
(Eph.  1:7);  they  themselves  are  accepted  as  if  they  had  fulfilled 
every  demand  of  the  law  (H  Cor.  V:2i);  whereas  Adam  before 
he  fell  was  only  a  "servant,"  they  are  now  adopted  into  the  family 
of  God  (I  John  HI:  i),  being  made  both  brethren  of  Christ  (Rom. 
Vni:29)  and  "joint-heirs"  with  Him  (Rom.  VHI:i7).  Thus  by 
redemption  they  are  brought  into  a  far  closer  relation  with  God 
than  that  which  was  lost  in  the  fall. 

c.  The  oMce  of  a  King.  Thus  Christ  can  and  does  cause  all 
things  to  "work  together"  for  the  highest  good  of  all  given  to  Him 
by  the  Father  (Rom.  VHI :  28).  Of  this  kingship  of  Christ  we  may 
affirm:  (i)  It  is  bestowed  on  Him  by  the  Father  as  the  reward  of 
His  obedience  and  suffering  as  Redeemer  (Phil.  II:7-ii).  (2)  Its 
particular  reference  is  to  the  salvation  of  His  own  people  (Eph. 
1:22).  (3)  It  attaches  not  to  His  divine  nature  exclusively,  but  to 
His  divine-human  personality.  A  man  now  sits  upon  the  mediatorial 
throne  (Acts  VII:  55).  (4)  It  is  all-comprehensive,  (a)  Christ  is 
directing  the  whole  course  of  providence  (Matt.  XXVIII:  18)  ;  this 
is  His  kingdom  of  power,  (b)  Christ  is  ruling  over  His  own 
spiritual  people  individually  (John  X:3),  and  over  His  professed 
people  collectively  organized  in  the  visible  church  (Matt.  XXVIII: 
19,  20)  ;  this  is  His  kingdom  of  grace,  (c)  At  the  consummation  all 
those  eternally  chosen  by  God  in  Christ  shall  be  gathered  out  of  the 
world  and  Christ  shall  reign  absolutely  over  them  and  completely  in 
them  (Rev.  XXII :  3,  4);  this  is  His  kingdom  of  glory.  (5)  The 
effects  of  Christ's  mediatorial  rule  are :  (a)  that  His  people  are  sub- 
dued to  Himself  (Ps.  CX:3);  (b)  that  they  are  defended  against 
His  and  their  enemies   (Acts  XVIII :  9,  10)  ;   (c)  that  they  are  en- 


36  CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE 


abled  to  derive  spiritual  blessings  from  the  whole  course  of  provi- 
dence (I  Thess.  V:  i8),  so  that  .afflictions,  even  though  the  con- 
sequences of  their  sins,  can  work  out  glory  for  them  (II  Cor.  IV: 
17)  and  death  becomes  to  them  no  longer  the  penalty  of  sin,  but  the 
gate  of  heaven  (II  Cor.  V:8).;  and  (d)  that  thus  at  last  they 
are  brought  off  "more  than  conquerors  through  Him  that  loved 
us"   (Rom.  VIII:  37). 

H.  Christ's  Work  inures  also  to  the  Benefit  of  All  Sin- 
ners, and  not  only  to  Those  "Who  ivere  given  to  Him  for  Re- 
demption. 

a.  JPliat  He  did  as  the  Redeemer  of  the  latter  is,  and  zvas  in- 
tended to  he,  siitHcient  for  and  adapted  to  the  redemption  of  the 
former  (I  John  11:2).  It  could  not  be  otherwise;  Christ's  work  is 
of  infinite  worth,  and  there  is  no  difference  between  the  former  and 
the  latter  as  to  the  kind  of  redemption  needed   (Rom.  111:22,  23). 

b.  Hence,  (i)  the  gospel  ought  to  be  preached  to  all  men  (Mark 
XVI:  15)  ;  for  (a)   God  wishes  all  to  be  saved   (I  Tim.  11:4),  and 

(b)  has  provided  in  Christ  a  free  salvation  ample  for  all  and  suited 
for  all  if  only  they  will  take  it.  (2)  Everyone  who  hears  of  Christ 
ought  to  accept  Him  as  his  Saviour;  for  (a)  God  wishes  him  to  do 
so,   (b)   he  cannot  be  saved  unless  he  does  so   (Acts  IV:  12),  and 

(c)  the  only  thing  that  must  or  does  prevent  him  from  doing  so  is 
his  own  sin,  (3)  jMoreover,  it  is  through  the  universal  offer  of  the 
gospel  that  God's  purpose  of  salvation  is  carried  out,  and  it  is  only 
thus  that  it  can  be  carried  out.  Ignorant  as  to  who  those  are  whom 
He  had  chosen  to  bring  to  accept  it,  we  must  offer  it  to  all,  if  we 
would  offer  it  to  them ;  and  unless  it  is  offered  to  them,  even  they 
cannot  believe  and  so  accept  it  (Rom.  X:  13-17). 

I.  The  Entrance  o£  Any  into  the  Redemption  thus  Gra- 
ciously and  Completely  provided  by  God  and  ivrought  out 
by  Christ  is  through  Faith  in  Christ  in  His  Three  Offices, 
and  through  It  Alone   (Acts  XVI:  31 ;  Rom.  X:  13). 

a.  This  does  not  mean  that  such  faith  issues  in  salvation  be- 
cause it  renders  us  deserving  of  it;  but  because  it  is  the  arm  which 
lays  hold  of  it,  the  medium  through  which  it  comes  to  us.  This 
must  be  so ;  for  saving  faith  itself  is  a  "gift,"  and  so  can  merit 
nothing  (Eph.  11:8). 

b.  Saving  faith  does  not  consist  in  hnoivledgc  that  Christ  is  the 


REDEMPTION  37 


Saviour  of  sinners  and  in  assent   to   this  proposition.     It  includes 
such  knowledge  and  assent,  but  is  much  more. 

c.  It  is  such  a  trust  in  Christ  as  our  Redeemer  as  enables  us,  just 
as  we  are,  to  receive  and  rest  on  Christ  alone  for  salvation  as  He 
is  freely  offered  to  us  in  the  gospel  (Acts  XV:  ii).  It  is  simply 
taking  Christ  at  His  word  that  "whosoever  believeth  on  Him  should 
not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life"  (John  HI:  i6). 

d.  It  necessarily  involves  repentance  for  our  sins  (Acts  11:38). 
For  unless  one  hates  his  sins  as  such  and  means  to  try  to  renounce 
them,  he  cannot  see  any  beauty  in  the  Saviour  from  sin  that  he 
should  desire  Him  and  so  trust  in  Him. 

J.  Hence,  we  are  brought  to  consider  God's  Saving  Work 
in  Us. 

a.  The  necessity  for  this  is  threefold:  (i)  As  the  sinner  cannot 
trust  in  Christ  as  his  Saviour  from  sin  until  he  hates  sin  as  sin;  so 
though  he  may  dread  the  punishment  of  sin,  he  cannot  hate  it  itself 
while  he  is  spiritually  dead  because  of  it.  He  can  no  more  hate  it 
than  the  pig  can  hate  dirt.  It  is  not  in  the  nature  of  the  sinner's 
self-determination  to  do  so  (Rom.  VII:  14).  If  he  is  to  desire  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ,  he  must  receive  a  new  disposition,  he 
must  be  born  again  and  from  above  (John  111:3).  (2)  Could  he 
accept  redemption  as  he  is,  it  would  not  be  salvation  for  him. 
Heaven  would  be  worse  than  hell  to  one  whose  sin,  in  addition  to 
making  a  hell  of  his  heart,  would  cause  him  to  loathe  the  atmos- 
phere of  heaven.  If  such  an  one  is  to  appreciate  salvation,  he  needs 
a  new  disposition,  he  must  be  born  again  and  from  above  (John 
111:3).  (3)  Were  this  not  so,  the  righteousness  of  God  would  im- 
pose the  same  demand.  He  cannot,  because  He  may  not,  save 
sinners  in  sin  (Heb.  XII:  14,  29). 

b.  The  agent  of  the  new  birth  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  third  person 
of  the  Trinity  (John  111:5).  (i)  The  Holy  Spirit  is  sent  by  the 
Father  (John  XIV:  26),  and  also  by  the  Son  (John  XV:  26).  (2) 
As  His  mission  as  Regenerator  was  included  in  Christ's  eternal  pur- 
pose of  redemption,  and  was  thus  included  as  based  on  His  priestly 
work;  so  it  has  exclusive  reference  to  those  who  were  given  to  the 
Son  before  the  foundation  of  the  world  for  salvation  (II  Thess.  II: 
13,  14;  Rom.  XI 17),  and  for  whom  therefore  He  acted  as  high 
priest. 

c.  As  to  the  nature  of  the  new  birth,  zve  are  taught.-'    (i)  It  is  an 


38  CHRISTIAN    DOCTRINE 


instantaneous  change  in  the  moral  nature ;  for  it  is  a  transition  from 
death  to  Hfe  (Eph,  11:5).  (2)  For  the  same  reason  it  is  a  radical 
change.  (3)  It  is  a  permanent  change,  for  the  life  imparted  is  im- 
mortal (Rom.  VIII :  28-30).  (4)  It  is  a  change  which  affects  the  whole 
soul,  (a)  The  mind  is  enlightened  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ  (Eph. 
1 :  17,  18).  (b)  The  will  is  renewed  (Ezek.  XXXVI :  26,  2-]).  (c)  The 
sinner  is  persuaded  and  enabled  to  embrace  Jesus  Christ  as  He  is 
freely  offered  in  the  gospel  (John  VI :  37,  44,  45)-  (5)  It  is  a 
change  in  which  the  soul  is  passive  and  unconscious.  A  dead  man 
cannot  be  instrumental  or  conscious  in  making  himself  alive.  (6) 
Hence,  though  the  new  birth  is  indispensable  to  salvation,  it  is  not 
a  duty.  We  ought  to  repent  and  believe,  for  these  are  our  own 
acts;  but  we  ought  to  look  to  God  absolutel}^  for  the  new  birth,  for 
this  is  and  can  be  His  act  only  and  altogether  (Rom.  IV:  17). 
(7)  Hence,  too,  arises  the  glorious  certainty  that  "whosoever  be- 
lieveth  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  shall  be  saved"  (Acts  XVI :  31 ; 
Rom.  X :  13)  ;  for  such  belief  is  the  sure  evidence  that  one  has  been 
born  of  God   (I  John  V:  i). 

d.  As  to  its  mode,  the  nciv  birth,  as  every  beginning  of  life,  is 
inscrutable  (John  111:8).  All  that  we  know  is:  (i)  It  is  not  due 
to  the  moral  influence  of  the  truths  of  the  gospel;  these  truths 
could  not  have  any  influence  on  one  who  was  "dead"  to  them,  and 
w^e  are  explicitly  told  that  "the  natural  man"  cannot  even  know  them 
(I  Cor.  11:14).  Teaching,  therefore,  cannot  of  itself  issue  in  the 
new  birth.  (2)  Yet  the  latter  is  not  without  relation  to  the  truth.  In 
the  case  of  adults  it  presupposes  it.  Hence,  we  are  said  to  be  "be- 
gotten by  the  word  of  truth"  (James  I:  18).  The  truth  of  Christ 
is  the  atmosphere  essential  to  the  life  in  Christ.  The  atmosphere 
could  never  revive  a  dead  man,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  such  an 
one  could  never  be  revived  in  a  vacuum.  (3)  The  new  birth  is  due 
directly  to  the  creative  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  and  to 
this  alone  (John  111:5).  The  Bible  distinguishes  carefully  be- 
tween the  influence  of  the  truth  and  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
(II  Tim.  II :  25)  ;  and  while  it  recognizes  the  necessity  of  the  former, 
it  ascribes  the  efficiency  to  the  latter  (I  Cor.  111:5,  6).  (4)  The 
creative  power  of  God  in  effecting  the  new  birth  acts  in  accord  with, 
and  not  in  violation  of,  the  natural  and  so  divinely  appointed  laws 
of  the  soul.  God  does  not  cause  any  to  choose  His  service  against 
their    inclination;    ?Ie    makes    them    "willing    in    the    day    of    His 


REDEMPTION  39 


power"  (Ps.  CX:3).  (5)  The  new  birth  is  the  result  of  a  sov- 
ereign act  of  God's  Spirit.  It  is  not  wrought  in  any  on  account  of 
their  merits,  or  on  account  of  any  nascent  faith  or  sorrow  for  sin  in 
them ;  but  it  is  always  wrought  because  of  and  in  accordance  with 
God's  eternal  purpose  of  grace  (II  Tim.  I:  9).  (6)  The  agency  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  in  effecting  the  new  birth  is  irresistible  and  so  in- 
variably efficacious.  As  God  sends  His  Spirit  to  quicken  all  whom 
He  has  chosen  for  redemption  and  thus  to  apply  to  them  the  re- 
demption purchased  for  them  by  Christ,  so  He  succeeds  in  every  case 
(John  VI:  37).  It  is  absurd  to  suppose  that  a  sinner  could  defeat 
the  eternal  purpose  of  the  Almighty,  that  the  human  will  could 
resist  the  creative  power  of  God. 

e.  The  results  of  the  nezv  birth  are: — 

(i)  Conversion,  (a)  This  is  the  sinner's  act  as  his  new  life  in 
Christ  and  by  the  Spirit  begins  to  assert  itself,  (b)  It  consists  in  a 
reversal  of  purpose.  As  God  by  the  new  birth  has  changed  the 
inclination  of  the  sinner's  self-determination,  so  now  he  begins  to 
determine  himself  in  accordance  with  the  change  (Acts  IX:  6). 
(c)   It  is  evidenced  by  repentance  and  faith, 

(2)  A  new  man.  (a)  This  does  not  mean  a  different  kind  of 
man.  Paul  was  the  same  sort  of  man  after  God  made  him  "a  new 
creature  in  Christ  Jesus"  as  before.  He  retained  all  the  energy 
naturally  characteristic  of  him  (Gal.  1 :  15,  16).  (b)  It  does  mean 
the  same  man  brought  under  the  direction  of  and  energized  with 
the  power  and  life  of  Christ   (Gal.  II:  20). 

No  less  complete  and  glorious  than  this  is  the  redemption  which  is 
in  Jesus.  It  is  adequate  to  meet  every  demand  of  the  divine  jus- 
tice on  all  men ;  it  secures  its  certain  appropriation  by  every  one  of 
the  innumerable  multitude  for  whom  it  was  eternally  provided ;  it 
does  this  by  giving  to  each  one  of  them  the  moral  nature  and  the 
glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  CHRISTIAN   LIFE.* 

Redemption  is  in'  order  to  the  Christian  hfc  and  its  resulting 
good  works,  which  God  "afore  prepared  that  we  should  walk  in 
them"   (Eph.  II:  lo). 

A.    The  Necessity  of  the  Christian  Life  arises:  — 

a.  Out  of  the  redeemed  sinner's  new  relation  to  God.  (i)  Be- 
fore his  acceptance  of  redemption  he  was  at  enmity  against  God 
because  under  sentence  of  His  law  (Eph.  II:  15,  16).  (2)  Since 
then  he  is  reconciled  to  God  (Eph.  II :  14,  15)^  Christ  having 
satisfied  every  demand  of  the  law  for  him  and  in  his  stead,  and  he 
having  laid  hold  of  this  "great  salvation"  through  simple  trust  in 
the  Redeemer.  (3)  It  cannot  be,  therefore,  that  the  Christian  will 
do  good  works  in  order  either  to  earn  salvation  or  to  maintain  his 
hold  on  it.  "He  that  believeth  hath  eternal  life"  (John  VI:  47)-  It 
could  not  be  more  surely  his  than  it  is  his  the  instant  that  he 
believes  on  Christ  as  his  Saviour.  The  ransom  which  the  Son  of 
God  has  paid  for  him  must  deliver  him  absolutely  as  soon  as  he 
accepts  it  as  for  him :  otherwise,  God  would  deny  His  own  right- 
eousness. (4)  It  must  be,  however,  that,  because  of  this  union 
with  Christ  by  faith,  the  sinner  will  try  to  "bring  forth  fruit  unto 
God."  Having  identified  himself  with  Christ,  he  must  have  made 
the  latter's  purpose  for  him  his  own.  Christ's  death  for  his  sins 
must  have  been  in  effect  his  death  to  his  sins  (Rom.  VI:  i-ii).  It 
could  no  more  be  otherwise  than  the  drowning  man  could  lay  hold 
of  his  rescuer  and  then  cease  trying  to  breathe. 

b.  Out  of  the  change  in  the  redeemed  sinner's  spiritual  condition. 
(i)  Before,  he  was  dead  to  God  "through  .  .  .  trespasses  and  sins" 
(Eph.  II:  i).     (2)   Now  he  is  alive  unto  God,  having  been  quick- 

*See  "Confession  of  Faith," Chapters  XIII,  XVI,  XVII,  XVIII,  XIX,  XX, 
XXI  XXV,  XXVI,  XXXIV;  also  "Popular  Lectures  on  Theological  Themes," 
Lectures    xlll,   XIV,   XV. 

40 


THE   CHRISTIAN   LIFE  4I 


ened  by  Him  (Eph.  II:  i).  He  believes  on  Christ  as  his  Redeemer 
because  by  the  Holy  Spirit  he  has  been  united  to  him  as  his  life 
(Gal.  II:  20).  (3)  It  cannot  be,  therefore,  that  he  will  do  good 
works  in  order  that  he  may  enter  on  eternal  life ;  it  could  not  be 
his  more  surely  than  it  is  his  already;  it  is  no  more  he  who  lives, 
but  Christ  who  lives  in  him  (Gal.  II:  20).  (4)  It  must  be,  how- 
ever, just  because  God  is  working  in  him,  that  he  will  strive  to 
develop  and  so  work  out  his  own  salvation  (Phil.  II:  12).  It 
could  no  more  be  otherwise  than  a  man  could  give  over  breathing; 
he  does  not  breathe  in  order  that  he  may  get  life ;  he  breathes 
because  he  is  alive  and  for  this  reason  cannot  help  breathing. 

c.  The  sinner's  ozvn  appreciation  of  his  changed  relation  to  God 
and  of  his  new  spiritual  condition  will  both  demand  and  prompt  the 
Christian  life.  Gratitude  for  these  mercies  of  God  must  constrain 
him  to  present  himself  ''a  living  sacrifice"  unto  God  (Rom.  XII : 
I,  2). 

B.  The  Sphere  of  the  Christian  Life  is  Threefold:— 

a.  The  kingdom  of  Christ.  This,  as  we  have  seen,  is  universal. 
Christ  is  now  the  God  of  providence,  and  He  is  "head  over  all 
things  to  the  church"  (Eph.  1:22).  (i)  He,  therefore,  who  has 
taken  Christ  as  his  Lord  and  in  whose  life  Christ  has  become 
the  dominant  principle  will  recognize  his  responsibility  to  Him  in 
society,  in  business,  in  the  family,  in  the  state,  in  the  church.  In 
every  department  of  life  he  will  see  that  he  can  do  Christ's  will  and 
that  he  ought  to  do  it  (I-  Cor.  X:3i).  (2)  In  every  event  also  he 
will  recognize  the  appointment  of  his  King.  He  will  appreciate  that 
nothing  conies  to  pass  that  Christ  has  not  efifected  or  permitted  for 
His  glory  in  the  good  of  His  redeemed  ones.  Hence,  he  will  feel 
that  in  everything  he  can  give  thanks  and  ought  to- give  thanks  (I 
Thess.  V:  18).  Even  to  this  degree  will  the  world  become  to  him 
the  kingdom  of  his  Redeemer  and  Lord. 

b.  The  household  of  God.  In  Christ  we  are  no  more  servants, 
but  sons  (Gal.  IV:  7).  Our  King  reigns  for  our  Father  and  as  our 
Father.  The  whole  world  should  be  as  our.  home,  for  it  is  our 
"Father's  house"  (John  XIV:  2).  All  our  duties  are  the  require- 
ments of  His  wisdom;  all  our  joys  are  the  expressions  of  His 
love;  all  our  afflictions  reveal  His  sympathy;  it  is  our  privilege  and 
our  duty  so  to  realize  His  fatherhood  that  our  obedience  as  servants 


42  CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE 


will  become  "the  liberty  of  the  glory  of  the  children  of  God''  (Rom. 
VIII:2i). 

c.  Communion  zvith  Christ.  It  is  with  Him  that  our  new  life  is 
hid  in  God  (Col.  111:3).  As  the  world  becomes  to  us  God's  king- 
dom and  His  kingdom  our  home;  so  our  life  in  this  home  consists  in 
following  Christ  as  our  Lord,  in  communing  with  Him  as  our  own 
individual  Friend,  in  living  in  Him  as  our  Life  (Gal.  n:2o).  This 
is  the  real  meaning  of  the  Christian  life.  He  in  whom  God  chose 
us  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  who  died  on  the  cross  for  our 
sins,  who  "ever  liveth  to  intercede  for  us" — He  dwells  in  each  one 
of  us  by  His  Spirit,  and  we  live  by  the  power  and  for  the  glory 
of  His  life  (I  Cor.  HI:i6).  Thus  the  Christian  life  is  a  life  for 
Christ  and  with  Christ  because  in  Christ  Himself  (John  XV:  5). 

C.    The  Work  of  the   Christian  Life. 

a.  In  the  sphere  of  the  kingdom  it  is  to  develop  all  the  right 
interests  of  the  ivorld  in  accordance  zvith  their  inherent  and, 
therefore,  diz'ine  purpose,  (i)  The  original  command  to  "subdue 
the  earth"  still  holds  (Gen.  1:28).  It  is  strengthened  by  the  fact 
that  the  world  has  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Redeemer.  Fidelity 
to  all  its  interests  is  now  required  by  loyalty  to  Him.  (2)  Particu- 
larly is  this  so  in  the  relationships  of  society,  (a)  The  affections  of 
the  family  should  be  inspired  by  and  subordinated  to  the  love  of 
Christ  (Eph.  V :  25 ;  VI :  i,  4).  (b)  The  rights  which  the  state 
secures  should  be  defined  in  accordance  with  the  law  of  Christ  as 
its  true  Head,  and  the  civil  rulers  who  guard  these  rights  should 
be  obeyed  and  respected  as  His  ministers  (Rom.XIII:  1-4). 

b.  In  the  sphere  of  the  household  of  God  it  is  to  make  knozvn  the 
gospel  of  salvation.  .  LJnited  to  Christ,  the  Christian  will  identify 
himself  with  the  visible  church  or  the  company  of  Christ's  confessed 
followers  (Mark  Vin:3.}).  Thus  he  will  acknowledge  his  mem- 
bership in  the  family  of  God  and  will  best  do  his  part  in  the  work 
for  the  establishment  of  Christ's  kingdom ;  and  as  this  work  is 
the  preaching  and  teaching  and  living  of  the  gospel  of  the  grace 
of  God  (Mark  XVI:  15),  so  he  will  seek  to  have  all  his  activity  in 
the  world  or  kingdom  of  God  contribute  to  this  the  supreme  func- 
tion of  the  church  (Mark  XVI:  15). 

c.  In  the  sphere  of  communion  zvith  Christ  it  is  to  reproduce  His 
character  in  order  that  He  may  become  more  fully  knozvn.  Living 
in  Christ  as  the  branch  lives  in  the  vine  (John  XV:  1-5),  the  Chris- 


THE   CHRISTIAN   LIFE  43 


tian  will  strive  to  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  (Gal. 
'\\22).  Thus  his  true  life  will  express  itself,  and  as  the  essence 
of  this  life  is  "to  know  the  love  of  Christ"  (John  XVII 13),  so  his 
aim  will  be  in  all  his  endeavor  to  develop  in  himself  and  in  others 
the  virtues  which  are  the  fruits  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  all  of  his 
consequent  effort  to  publish  the  gospel  of  salvation,  and  in  all  his 
resulting  activity  in  subduing  the  world  to  Christ,  his  final  aim 
will  be  that  the  love  of  Christ  may  be  known  "which  passeth 
knowledge"  (Eph,  III:  19). 

D.    The  Law  of  the  Christian  liife. 

a.  The  Christian  life  is  under  law.  (i)  Just  because  the  Christian 
has  been  delivered  by  God  from  obedience  to  His  law  as  the  con- 
dition of  eternal  life,  will  he  wish  to  make  it  the  rule  of  his  life 
(Rom.  VII:  22).  (2)  Since  Christ  came  to  vindicate  the  law  of 
God  in  His  expression  of  His  grace,  it  could  not  be  otherwise  (Rom. 
111:31).  (3)  It  must  be  so,  too,  because  the  Christian  life  is  "hid 
with  Christ  in  God,"  and  His  nature  is,  as  we  have  seen,  both  the 
standard  and  the  ground  of  right,  which  is  the  basis  of  law. 

b.  The  zuhole  of  the  Christian  life  is  absolutely  under  the  law  of 
God.  (i)  This  lav/  is  all  comprehensive  (I  Cor.  X:3i).  (2)  The 
only  service  that  will  or  should  satisfy  either  God  or  the  Christian  is 
entire  obedience  (James  II:  10),  perfection  of  character  (Matt.  V: 
48),  total  consecration  (Matt.  XVI :  24,  25).  The  cost  of  our  re- 
demption (I  Pet.  1:19)  as  well  as  the  perfection  of  God  is  the 
reason  for  this. 

c.  The  Bible,  and  particularly  the  personal  revelation  of  God  in 
Christ  given  in  it,  constitutes  the  super  naturally  revealed  and  so 
infallible  rule  of  Christian  life    (II  Tim.  Ill :  16,  17). 

d.  The  law  of  God  and  rule  of  the  Christian  life  is  summarily 
comprehended  in  the  Ten  Commandments  (Matt.  XIX:  17).  (i) 
This  is  so  because  the  Ten  Commandments  are  binding  on  all  men, 
being  founded  either  on  the  unchangeable  nature  of  God,  as  the 
Ninth  Commandment,  or  on  the  divinely  constituted  nature  and 
permanent  relations  of  men  in  their  present  state  of  existence,  as 
the  Eighth  Commandment.  (2)  It  is  so,,  too,  because  the  Ten 
Commandments  are  reaffirmed  (Mark  X:  19),  explained,  and  spirit- 
ualized by  Christ  (Alatt.  V).  (3)  The  sum  of  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments is  that  we  should  love  God  supremely  and  our  neigh- 
bor as   ourselves    (Matt.   XXII:  37-40).      (4)    This   absolutely  holy 


44  CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE 


love,  which  is  the  complete  fulfillment  of  the  law  (Rom.  XIII:  lo), 
finds  its  standard  and  illnstratioji  in  Christ's  love  for  His  redeemed 
ones  (John  XV:  12).  (5)  This  is  Christ's  "new  commandment," 
the  law  distinctive  of  the  Christian  life  (John  XIII:  34).  The 
Christian  is  one  who  tries  to  love  both  himself  and  others  as 
Christ   has   loved   him. 

e.  The  will  of  God  for  each  particular"  Christian  and  so  his  par- 
ticular duty  in  each  particular  case,  is  indicated  in  the  current  lead- 
ings of  providence  interpreted  by  the  indwelling  Spirit  of  God,  who 
enlightens  our  minds-  to  understand  their  claims  and  who  quickens 
our  consciences  to  appreciate  them.  The  Holy  Spirit,  however,  al- 
ways guides  by  applying  the  general  principles  of  the  Bible  to  the 
changing  conditions  of  our  providentially  directed  lives.  He  never 
enjoins  what  is  contradictory  of,  or  beyond,  the  book  which  He 
himself  inspired  to  be  our  complete  rule.  Hence,  the  final  appeal 
in  every  question  of  duty  as  of  faith  must  be  to  the  word  of  God 
(Isa.  VIII:  20). 

f.  In  the  case  of  what  is  not  commanded  or  forbidden  in  the  Bible 
each  Christian  is  required  to  decide  his  duty  for  himself  under  the 
guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  due  regard  to  the  recommenda- 
tions of  the  church  and  other  constituted  authorities,  and  especially 
in  accordance  -with  the  foUozving  principles: — 

(i)  One  ought  to  do  what,  in  view  of  all  the  circumstances,  he 
judges  will  be  most  for  the  glory  of  Christ  (I  Cor.  X:3i). 

(2)  Christ  cannot  be  glorified  when  what  one  does,  though  in 
itself  innocent,  wounds  the  conscience  of  a  less  developed  Christian 
(I  Cor,  VIII:  12),  or  tempts  him  to  violate  his  conscience  (I  Cor. 
VIII:  II). 

(3)  Still  more  ought  one  not  to  let  his  less  developed  brother 
deny  his  right  to  decide  for  himself  in  these  matters  what  he 
himself  may  or  may  not  do  (Rom.  XIV:  3).  This  liberty  he  is 
bound  to  accord  to  others  and  to  .demand  from  others.  Even  the 
church  may  not  authoritatively  command  or  forbid  what  the  Bible 
has  not  commanded  or  forbidden. 

E.  As  to  the  ^Nature  of  tlie  Christian  Life,  It  is:— 

a.  A  grozvth.    It  consists  in  the  repetition  of  that  act  of  faith  in 

which  it  first  evidenced  itself.     The  body  lives  as  well  as  begins  to 

live  by  breathing,  and  the  Christian  lives  in  Christ  as  well  as  begins 

to  live  in  Him  by  believing  on  Him.     We  grow  in  Him  as  we  ad- 


THE   CHRISTIAN   LIFE  45 


venture  ourselves  on  His  promises,  as  we  draw  on  His  grace,  as  we 
submit  to  His  rule,  as  we  cooperate  with  Him  as  He  dwells  in  us 
and  animates  us  and  worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  work  by  His 
Spirit  (Phil.  H:  13).  In  a  word,  we  can  be  sanctified  only  through 
faith  (Acts  XXVI:  18). 

b.  //  is  at  best  an  immature  and  imperfect  grozuth.  (i)  The  new 
birth  is  the  implanting  of  a  new  and  divine  life;  it  is  not  the  de- 
struction of  the  old  and  corrupt  nature.  During  his  third  foreign 
missionary  tour  even  Paul  wrote  that  when  he  would  do  good 
evil  was  present  with  him  (Rom.  VII:  14-25).  (2)  This  old  nature 
is  never  entirely  eradicated  in  this  life  (Rom.  111:9,  10) •  Hence, 
the  Christian  is  never  what  he  would  be  or  ought  to  be ;  he  never 
cooperates  as  he  should  with  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  the  latter  in 
His  just  and  loving  sovereignity  does  not  constrain  such  coopera- 
tion. 

c.  //  is,  however,  a  growth  which  may  and  should,  even  in  its 
immaturity  and  imperfection,  issue  in  assurance  of  salvation  (I  John 
III :  14,  18,  19,  21,  24).  (i)  Such  assurance  results  from  the 
testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit  witnessing  with  our  spirit  that  we  are 
the  children  of  God  (Rom.  VIII:  15,  16).  (2)  Though  not  indis- 
pensable to  saving  faith,  it  is  its  appropriate  fruit  and  so  ought  to 
be  striven  after  (II  Pet.  1 :  10). 

d.  It  is,  moreover,  a  growth  which  is  sure  to  come  to  maturity  and 
perfection.  When  it  is  correctly  judged  not  to  do  so,  it  must  have 
been  a  spurious  growth  and  the  Christian  one  in  name  only,  (i) 
Drawing  its  life  from  God  Himself,  it  may  languish,  but  it  cannot 
die.  (2)  Created  by  Him  Himself,  He  may  seem  to  neglect  it,  but 
He  must  be  all  the  time  perfecting  it  (Phil.  1:6).  (3)  Christ  has  so 
declared  (John  X:28).  (4)  Such,  as  we  have  just  seen,  is  the 
witness  of  His  Spirit.  (5)  Such  is  the  eternal  covenant  of  God 
with  His  Son  (John  VI :  39,  40).  All  therefore,  who  are  in  Christ 
must  become  like  Him  (Rom.  VIII:  29).  Were  it,  in  even  one  case, 
to  be  otherwise,  He  who  is  "the  Truth"  would  deny  Himself;  "He 
cannot  deny  Himself  (II  Tim.  II:  13).  Such  is  the  absolutely  cer- 
tain as  well  as  supremely  glorious  issue  of  the  Christian  life. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE  MEANS  OF  GRACE  * 

Ordinarily  in  His  works  of  providence  God  acts  through  means. 
It  is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  there  should  be  "means  of  grace" 
and  that  our  growth  in  the  Christian  life  should  depend  on  our 
diligent  use  of  these.  It  is  thus  that  Christ  develops  His  life  in  us. 
These  means  of  grace  are  : — 

A.    The  Word;  i.  e.,  the  Bible. 

a.  In  itself  the  Bible  is  fitted  to  be  so.  Its  truths  are  such  and  are 
so  presented  as  to  be  adapted  (i)  to  make  "wise  unto  salvation" 
(II  Tim.  Ill:  15),  and  (2)  to  develop  holiness  (Acts  XX:  32).  The 
Bible  contains  precisely  the  spiritual  nourishment  needed  by  the 
Christian  life  in  all  its  stages. 

b.  The  Bible  is,  hozvever,  made  a  means  of  grace  by  the  attending 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (I  Cor.  11:4).  He  opens  the  heart 
to  receive  and  He  enlightens  the  mind  to  understand  "the  things  of 
God"  (I  Cor.  II:  10).  Otherwise,  because  of  our  natural  deadness 
to  such  things,  they  would  be  to  us  only  "a  stumbling  block"  or 
"foolishness"  (I  Cor.  1:23). 

c.  This  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  not  a  supernatural  effi- 
ciency inherent  in  the  Bible  itself,  but  it  is  an  influence  exerted  by 
Him  when  and  how  He  pleases  on  and  through  the  truths  of  the 
Bible.  Two  men  may  read  the  Bible,  and  it  save  the  one  and  harden 
and  condemn  the  other  (II  Cor.  II:  16).  This  is  because  the  former 
is  taught  by  the  Spirit  (John  XVI:  13),  and  the  other  only  by  his 
own  spiritually  dead  heart. 

d.  This  influence  of  the  Spirit  may,  hozuever,  be  expected,  and 
may  be  claimed  by  Christians,  in  connection  with  the  appropriate  use 
of  the  Bible  (Acts  XVII:  11,  12).  (i)  The  Bible  should  be  taught 
and  studied  (a)   diligently   (Deut.  VI :  6,  7),   (b)   after  careful  spir- 

*  See  "Confession  of  Faith,"  Chapters  XXV,  XX\'II,  XXVIII,  XXIX, 
XXXI V;  also  "Popular  Lectures  on  Theological  Themes,"  Lectures  \',  XVI, 
XVII. 

46 


THE   MEANS   OF  GRACE  47 


itual  as  well  as  mental  preparation  (I  Pet.  II :  i,  2),  (c)  with 
prayer  (Ps.  CXIX:i8).  (2)  It  should  be  received  (a)  with  faith 
(Rom.  I:  16),  and  (b)  with  love  (John  VII:  17)-  (3)  It  should 
be  laid  up  in  our  hearts  (Ps.  CXIX :  11).  (4)  It  should  be  prac- 
ticed in  our  lives  (James  1:25). 

e.  The  public  preaching  of  the  word  of  God,  He  is  pleased  spe- 
cially to  honor  as  a  means  of  grace  (I  Cor.  I:  21). 

B.    The  Sacraments. 

a.  "A  sacrament  is  a  holy  ordinance  instituted  by  Christ;  wherein, 
by  sensible  signs,  Christ  and  the  benefits  of  the  new  covenant  are 
represented,  sealed,  and  applied  to  believers"  ("Shorter  Catechism," 
Ques.  92;  Matt.  XXVIII:  19;  XXVI:  26-28). 

b.  The  design  of  the  sacraments  is  fourfold:  (i)  To  represent  to 
the  eye  the  fundamental  truths  of  the  gospel.  (2)  To  be  badges 
of  Christian  discipleship.  (3)  To  be  the  seals  of  Christ's  covenant 
with  men.  (4)  To  be  the  means  whereby  Christ  imparts  grace  to 
those  who  receive  them  rightly. 

c.  The  necessity  of  the  sacraments  depends  on  (i)  their  adapta- 
tion to  meet  the  ends  just  named,  and  (2)  above  all,  on  the  com- 
mand of  Christ  (Matt.  XXVIII:  19;  I  Cor.  XI :  23,  24).  Yet  while 
they  are  thus  appointed  and  so  obligatory,  they  are  not  exclusive 
channels  of  grace.  A  believer  ought  to  seek,  and  ordinarily  will 
seek  baptism,  but  it  is  never  the  lack  of  baptism  which  is  fatal  (Mark 
XVI:  16). 

d.  The  efficacy  of  the  sacraments  is  not  from  any  virtue  in  them 
or  in  him  who  administers  them,  but  solely  by  the  blessing  of  Christ 
and  the  working  of  His  Spirit  in  them  that  by  faith  receive  them 
(I  Cor,  XII:  13).  This  is  not  because  faith  renders  any  deserving 
of  grace,  but  because  only  faith  can  appropriate  it. 

e.  TJie  sacraments  are  valid,  or  what  they  purport  to  be,  when 
they  conform  to  the  prescriptions  given  in  the  Bible  concerning 
them,  (i)  The  elements  employed  must  be  those  which  Christ  or- 
dained. (2)  The  manner  in  which  those  elernents  are  given  or  re- 
ceived must  accord  with  His  directions.  (3)  The  ordinances  must 
be  administered  with  the  intention  of  doing  what  He  commanded. 

f.  The  sacraments  are  tiuo,  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 
(i)   Baptism. 

(a)  It  symbolizes  by  the  cleansing  of  the  body  by  water  the  cleans- 
ing of  the  soul  in  the  blood  of  Jesus.     It,  therefore,  implies  a  con- 


48  CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE 


fcssioii  of  guilt  and  of  depravity,  and  a  profession  of  the  discovery 
of  the  remedy  for  all  sin  in  the  blood  of  Jesus. 

(b)  It  ought,  therefore,  to  be  sought  by  all  and  to  be  applied  to 
all  who  in  the  judgment  of  charity  may  be  presumed  to  be  children 
of  God  and  so  with  a  right  to  the  privileges  of  His  house    (Acts 

11:38). 

(c)  As  only  God  can  judge  the  heart,  the  responsibility  of  decid- 
ing whether  one  has  turned  to  God  in  Christ  and  so  is  a  child  of 
God  and  a  fit  subject  for  recognition  as  such  by  baptism  is  wholly 
with  the  applicant  himself.  The  duty  of  church  sessions  is  hmited 
to  denying  church  membership  and  baptism  to  those  who  give  posi- 
tive evidence  of  unfitness  for  them,  either  because  they  do  not  know 
what  baptism  means,  or  because  they  do  not  believe  what  it  signifies, 
or  because  their  lives  openly  contradict  their  profession.  Church 
officers  who  assume  more  responsibility  than  this  come  under  the 
condemnation  of  Christ  (Matt.  VII:  i). 

(d)  The  infants  also  of  all  who  have  professed  their  faith  in 
Christ  ought  to  be  baptized:  for  as  baptism  is  the  sign  and  seal  of 
the  covenant  of  grace,  and  as  the  covenant  of  grace  is  identical  with 
the  promise  made  to  Abraham  (Gal.  Ill:  14),  and  as  this  promise 
included  his  children  with  him  (Gen.  XVII:  7),  so  the  children  of 
believers  now  are  heirs  of  the  blessings  of  this  covenant,  and  thus 
should  receive  the  divinely  appointed  sign  and  seal  of  it. 

(e)  The  salvation  of  infants  dying  In  infancy  does  not,  however, 
depend  upon  their  baptism.  Baptism  does  not  make  those  to  whom 
it  is  administered  heirs  of  grace:  but,  in  the  case  of  infants,  it  is 
administered  to  those  who,  we  must  believe,  are  already  heirs  of 
grace  because  the  faith  of  their  parents  shows  that  they  are  entitled 
to  be  regarded  as  born  such  through  God's  gracious  and  eternal 
choice;  and  since  we  have  good  reason  to  hope,  from  the  analogy 
between  Adam  and  Christ  (Rom.  V:  18,  19),  that  all  those  who  die 
in  infancy  are  included  in  this  choice,  we  may  well  believe  that  a 
multitude,  who  never  were  baptized,  are  removed  from  the  evil  of 
this  world  to  the  immediate  presence  of  God. 

(f)  The  benefit  of  infant  baptism  appears  in  this,  that  in  it  parents 
formally  claim  for  their  children  the  salvation  which  God,  who 
cannot  fail  to  keep  His  word,  has  promised  to  give  to  the  children 
of  all  believers  who  sincerely  make  that  claim  and  continue  to  be- 
lieve in  His  promise  and  to  train  their  children  in  accord  with  it. 


THE   MEANS   OF   GRACE  40 


(g)  As  to  the  mode  of  baptism,  it  is  essential  that  there  should 
be  a  washing  with  water  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost  Thus  purification  from  sin  is  symbolized,  and  the  recipient 
is  pledged  to  allegiance  to  God  in  that  character  and  in  those  rela- 
tions in  which  He  has  revealed  Himself  to  us  in  the  plan  of  salva- 
tion. How  much  water  is  used  and  how  it  is  applied  are  not  essen- 
tial. Sprinkling,  immersion,  and  affusion  are  all  justified  by  Scrip- 
ture. Sprinkling,  however,  is  most  symbolical  of  spiritual  cleansing 
(Ezek.  XXXVI  .'25,  26).     Hence,  it  is  to  be  preferred. 

(2)  The  Lord's  Supper. 

(a)  It  is  a  memorial  of  Christ  (I  Cor.  XI 124),  and  especially  of 
His  death  for  our  sins  (Matt.  XXVI :  27,  28).  Thus  it  speaks  to 
us  of  guilt  and  of  the  atonement. 

(b)  It  is  a  sacrificial  meal,  as  was  the  passover  feast,  the  place  of 
which  it  takes ;  it  is,  therefore,  a  communion  of  Christians  with  each 
other  as  common  participants  in  Christ's  sacrificial  death  accom- 
plished once  for  all  on  Calvary  (]\Iatt.  XXVI  '.27). 

(c)  In  it,  to  all  who  come  to  it  in  faith,  Christ  and  the  benefits  of 
His  death  for  us  are  signified,  sealed,  and  imparted.  We  not  only 
remember  Him;  we  claim  Him  afresh  as  our  sacrificial  substitute, 
and  receive  Him  as  such  to  our  spiritual  nourishment  and  growth  in 
grace. 

(d)  Christ,  therefore,  is  really  present  at  His  table  and  is  really 
partaken  of  in  this  sacrament  (I  Cor.  XI :  24,  25).  This  does  not 
mean  that  the  bread  and  wine  become  Christ's  flesh  and  blood,  or 
that  His  flesh  and  blood  enter  into  them ;  but  that  all  the  power  to 
save  of  His  body  broken  and  of  His  blood  shed  for  our  sins,  and 
the  energy  of  His  own  glorified  divine  human  life  are  communicated 
to  us  by  the  Holy  Spirit  as  we  give  ourselves  anew  to  Christ  at  His 
table,  and  believing  in  all  that  they  signify  eat  and  drink  the  S3'm- 
bols  of  His  body  broken  and  His  blood  shed  for  us.  As  we-  cannot 
accept  the  physical  presence  of  our  Lord  in  the  bread  and  wine  and 
not  contradict  the  senses  which  He  has  given  us,  so  we  must  be- 
lieve in  His  dynamical  presence  to  those  who  have  the  faith  to 
receive  Him,  or  deny  His  own  words  (]\Iatt.  XXVI:  26,  27). 

(e)  The  Lord's  Supper,  then,  should  be  partaken  of  only  by  Chris- 
tians. Others,  because  spiritually  dead,  cannot  "discern  the  Lord's 
body,"  or  perceive  the  spiritual  and  so  real  meaning  of  this  sacra- 


50  CHRISTIAN    DOCTRINE 


ment.  Hence,  they  cannot  participate  in  it  without  guilt  (I  Cor. 
XI:  29). 

(f)  Yet  as  the  Lord's  Supper  is  for  Christians  only,  so  It  is  for  all 
Christians,  however  weak  or  discouraged  or  sinful.  The  most  sin- 
ful, if  only  they  would  repent  and  believe,  are  the  very  ones  whom 
our  Saviour  would  feed  at  His  table  (]\Iark  n:i7). 

C.   Prayer. 

a.  In  the  case  of  the  Christian,  prayer  is  communion  with  both  our 
Father  (Matt.  VI :  9)  and  our  Friend  (John  XV:  14,  15,  16). 

b.  Prayer  Includes  petition  (I  John  V:4),  confession  (I  John 
1:9),  and  thanksgiving  (Phil.  IV:  6);  the  model  of  our  prayer  is 
the  Lord's  Prayer  (Matt.  VI:    9-13). 

c.  Prayer  is  a  special  means  of  grace,  (i)  Because  of  its  effect 
in  us.  Nothing  can  so  tend  to  make  one  holy  as  communion  with 
God  Himself  (Isa.  XL:  31).  (2)  Because  of  its  power  with  God 
(]\Iatt.  VII:  II;  James  V:  15).  If  prayer  did  not  have  this  power 
with  God,  It  would  lose  Its  power  In  us.  No  benefit  could  come 
from  communion  with  a  God  who  encouraged  petition  though  know- 
ing It  to  be  only  an  empty  form. 

d.  God  can  respond  to  our  prayers  and  so  can  permit  Himself  to 
be  influenced  by  them  because  (i)  the  laws  of  the  world  were  con- 
stituted by  Him  and  are  absolutely  under  His  control,  and  (2)  be- 
cause prayer,  as  well  as  the  ansv/er  to  prayer,  enters  Into  His  eternal 
plan.  The  whole  world  has  been  formed  from  the  beginning  for  the 
very  purpose  of  providing  for  the  mutual  intercourse  of  the  pray- 
ing children  and  of  the  prayer-answering  Father. 

e.  Because  Cod  is  our  Father  and  is  omnipotent,  we  ought  to  ask 
Him  for  everything  that  we  wish,  which  He  has  not  shozvn  to  be 
contrary  to  His  zvill  (Phil.  IV:  6). 

f.  Because  Cod  is  our  Father  and  is  omnipotent,  He  zvill  answer 
every  acceptable  prayer, — if  not  as  we  zvish,  yet  as  we  would  wish  did 
we  knozu  all  that  He  knows  (John 'XIV:  14). 

g.  The  conditions  of  acceptable  prayer  are:  (i)  It  must  be  sin- 
cere. (2)  It  must  be  offered  In  submission  to  the  will  of  God  (I 
John  V:  14;  Luke  XXII:  42).  (3)  It  must  be  accompanied  and  fol- 
lowed by  the  intelligent  and  diligent  use  of  all  the  means  adapted  to 
secure  the  answer  (James  V:  13-15).  (4)  It  must  be  offered  In  the 
name  of  Christ  (John  XVI :  23). 

h.  IVe  should  be  encouraged  to  pray  just  because  prayer  is  not 


THE    MEANS   OF  GRACE 


51 


necessary  for  God's  information  (Matt.  VI:  8).  It  must,  therefore, 
be  to  bring  us  into  communion  with  Himself  that  He  has  so  largely 
conditioned  His  giving  on  our  asking  (Ezek.  XXXVI:  37).  He  de- 
lights to  have  us  pray  even  more  than  we  need  to  pray. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  LAST  THINGS  * 

One  cannot  study  God's  plan  as  developed  in  His  works  of  crea- 
tion and  providence,  in  the  latter  more  definitely  in  the  permission 
of  sin  and  especially  in  the  accomplishment  of  redemption,  and  in  it 
particularly  in  the  Christian  life  with  its  means  of  grace,  and  not 
ask,  What  is  to  be  the  outcome  of  it  all? 

A.  Human  Probation  is  to  end  with  Death   (II  Cor.  VI :  i, 

2). 

a.  Immediately  upon  death  the  good  man — and  no  man,  as  we 
have  seen,  can  be  good  in  God's  sight  who  is. not  clothed  in  the  robe 
of  Christ's  righteousness — goes  to  a  place  of  holiness  and  happiness, 
and  the  had  man  to  a  f  lace  of  suffering  (Luke  XVI :  22,  23). 

b.  These  places  and  the  characters  which  they  imply  are  per- 
manent and  irreversible  (Luke  XVI :  26,  31). 

B.  The  Church  as  Christ's  Army  is  to  push  Her  Conquests 
until  Jesus  is  OAvned  the  World  Over;  even  by  the  Jevrs,  as 
King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords  (Mark  XIII :  10;  Rom.  XI :  26; 
Isa.  XLV:  22,  2z). 

C.  Christ  Himself  will  return  from  Heaven  (I  Thess. 
IV:  16). 

a.  He  zi'ill  come  in  the  body  (Acts  1 :  11). 

b.  The  time  of  His  return  is  unknozvn  (Mark  XIII :  26,  32). 

c.  He  zvill  come  unexpectedly  (I  Thess.  V:2). 

D.  At  Christ's  Return  the  Bodies  of  All  Who  are  Alive 
shall  be  so  "changed"  as  to  be  Incorruptible  (I  Cor.  XV:  51, 
52),  and  All  the  Dead  shall  be  raised  Incorruptible. 

■     a.  This  zvill  be  effected  directly  by  the  almighty  pozuer  of  God 
(Phil.  Ill:  21). 
b.  The  resurrection  of  the  impenitent  zvill  be  judicial,  that  they 

*vSee  "Confession  of  Faith,"  Chapters  XXXIT  and  XXXTTI;  also  "Popular 
Lectures  on   Theological   Themes,"    Lectures   XVIII   and  XIX. 

52 


THE     LAST     THINGS  S3 


may  justly,  and  so  in  the  body,  receive  the  punishment  of  the  deeds 
done  in  the  body  (John  V:29;  II  Cor.  V:  lo). 

c.  The  resurrection  of  the  redeemed  zvill  be  gracious;  a  conse- 
quence of  Christ's  death  and  resurrection  for  them,  and  for  the 
consummation  of  their  salvation   (I  Thess.  IV:  14). 

d.  As  to  the  resurrection  bodies  of  the  redeemed,  we  are  taught: 
(i)  They  are  identical  with  the  bodies  laid  away  in  the  graves 
(John  V:28,  29).  (2)  They  are,  however,  changed  so  as  to  be  like 
Christ's  glorified  body  (Phil.  Ill:  21).  (3)  Hence,  they  will  be  (a) 
still  true  bodies  (Luke  XXIV:  39)  ;  (b)  yet  spiritual  bodies  (I  Cor. 
XV :  44)  ;  i.  e.,  absolutely  under  the  control  and  government  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  so  as  to  be  perfectly  adapted  to  the  instincts  and  facul- 
ties of  our  glorified  souls,  and  to  the  physical  condition  of  the  new 
heavens  and  the  new  earth  "wherein  dwelleth  righteousness." 

E.  As  to  the  Condition  of  Souls  between  Death  and  the 
Resurrection,  We  are  taught: — 

a.  In  the  case  of  the  impenitent,  it  is  a  state  of  bodiless,  penal 
suffering  (Luke  XVI :  23). 

b.  In  the  case  of  the  redeemed,  it  is  a  state  of  bodiless,  conscious 
blessedness,  (i)  They  are  "at  hom.e  with  the  Lord"  (II  Cor. 
V:i,  8).  (2)  They  are  freed  from  all  sin  (Rev.  XIV:  13).  (3) 
Their  bodies,  being  still  united  to  Christ,  are  kept  by  Him  for  the 
resurrection  (I  Thess.  IV:  14).  (4)  Yet  though  with  Christ  and 
delivered  from  all  sin  and  sorrow,  they  are  not  complete  in  Him, 
but  await  the  resurrection  and  the  glory  which  shall  ensue  (Rom, 
VIII:  23). 

F.  The  Resurrection  "vrill  he  folloiv^ed  by,  and  "will  he  in 
order     to,     the     Final     and     Universal     Judgment      (]\Iatt. 

XXV:  31). 

a.  Christ  himself  will  be  the  Judge  (II  Cor.  V:  10). 

b.  Those  to  be  judged  will  be  Satan  and  the  angels  zuho  fell  ivith 
him  (Jude  6),  and  all  men  (II  Cor,  V:  10). 

c.  The  lazu  by  ivliich  all  shall  be  tried  will  be  the  revelation  which 
God  has  made  to  each  one.  (i)  Those  who  have  heard  the  gospel 
shall  be  judged  by  the  gospel,  and  their  great  sin  will  be  that  they 
have  "not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God" 
(John  III:  18).  (2)  Those  who  have  never  heard  the  gospel  shall 
be  judged,  by  the  Mosaic  law  if  Jews,  by  the  law  of  nature  if 
heathen;  and  the  condemnation  of  the  former  will  be  that  they  have 


54  CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE 


disobeyed  the  law  as  God  revealed  it  by  Moses,  and  of  the  latter, 
that  they  have  broken  the  law-  as  made  known  by  God  in  every 
man's  conscience   (Rom.  II:  12-16). 

d.  The  judgment  shall  extend  to  words  and  thoughts  as  zvell  as 
deeds  (Matt.  XII :  36,  37;  Heb.  IV:ii-i3). 

e.  The  condemnation  of  the  impenitent  is  on  the  ground  of  their 
own  sin;  and  the  purpose  of  their  judgment  is  to  justify  to  the 
universe  their  punishment,  already  entered  into,  and  all  to  the  praise 
of  God's  glorious  justice  (Rom.  II 15,  6). 

f.  TJie  acquittal  and  glorification  of  the  redeemed  will  be  on  the 
ground  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  who  by  divine  appointment 
took  their  place  under  the  law  and  redeemed  them  from  its  curse 
and  rendered  its  obedience,  and  the  purpose  of  their  judgment Js  to 
justify  to  the  universe  their  blessedness,  already  entered  into,  and 
all  to  the  praise  of  the  riches  of  God's  grace  (Rom.  IX:  23). 

G.  As  to  tlie  Condition  of  Men  after  the  Judgment,  We 
are  taught:  — 

a.  The  impenitent  are  consigned  to  "everlasting  fire,  prepared  for 
the  Devil  and  his  angels."  (i)  This  cannot  be  literal  fire;  for  the 
Devil  and  his  angels,  having  no  bodies,  could  not  be  pained  by  it. 
(2)  It  must,  however,  signify  punishment  as  real  and  terrible  as 
fire.  (3)  The  chief  elements  of  this  punishment  are  (a)  Exclusion 
from  the  presence  and  favor  of  God  (II  Thess.  1:9).  (t»)  Remorse 
(Mark  IX :  44,  46,  48).  (c)  Despair,  (d)  Positive  judicial  inflec- 
tions, such  as  the  impenitent's  environment  in  hell,  over  and  above 
the  natural  consequences  of  sin.  (e)  Perpetuity  (i\Iatt.  XXV:  46). 
(4)  As  to  this  inconceivably  awful  punishment,  it  should  be  further 
observed:  (a)  To  the  impenitent  heaven  could  not  be  heaven,  (b) 
In  every  case  their  punishment  is  deserved  by  their  own  sin.  (c) 
This  is  true  even  of  the  perpetuity  of- their  punishment.  Sin  is  an 
offense  against  an  infinite  Being;  such  an  offense  merits  an  infinite 
punishment;  to  be  such,  punishment  must,  in  the  case  of  a  finite 
creature,  be  everlasting,  (d)  111  desert  is  determined  by  a  Judge 
who  has  our  nature,  who  was  tempted  in  all  points  as  we  are,  and 
who,  consequently,  cannot  fail  to  mitigate  the  degree  of  punishment 
according  to  all  the  extenuating  circumstances  (Luke  XII :  47,  48). 
(e)  Terrible  though  hell  must  be,  it  is  only  ''a  corner  of  the  uni- 
verse." The  redeemed  are  called  an  "innumerable  multitude"  (Rev. 
VII:  9);  no  such  description  is  ever  given  of  the  lost,     (f)   Even 


THE  LAST   THINGS 


55 


hell  cannot  be  so  awful  as  it  would  be,  were  not  an  absolutely  just 
and  infinitely  loving  God  on  the  throne.  To  endure  even  His  just 
wrath  must  be  better  than  to  be  crushed  by  a  heartless  force  or 
tortured  by  a  cruel  tyrant;  nor  may  we  forget  that  even  when  jus- 
tice compels  Him  to  be  most  severe,  He  never  ceases  to  love,  (g) 
The  consideration  of  this  terrible  subject  ought  to  lead  us  to  greater 
activity  in  bringing  the  impenitent  to  Him  who  can  and  will  save 
all  who  come  unto  Him  by  faith. 

b.  The  redeemed  enter  at  once  into  the  "inheritance  prepared  for 
them  from  the  foundation  of  the  world"  (]\Iatt.  XXV 134).  (i) 
United  to  their  bodies,  their  redemption  is  complete.  (2)  Delivered 
from  all  sin,  sorrow,  and  pain  (Rev.  VH :  16,  17;  XXI:  2^),  and 
rewarded  for  Christ's  sake  according  to  their  works  (I  Cor.  V:  10), 
each  one  is  admitted  to  all  tlie  happiness  of  which  he  has  become 
capable  (Ps.  XVI:  11).  (3)  They  know  even  as  they  are  known 
(I  Cor.  XIII:  12).  (4)  They  see  Christ  as  He  is  (I  John  111:2). 
(5)  Together  with  those  who  are  dear  to  them  in  Christ,  they  will 
be  with  Him  forever  (I  Thess.  IV:  17).  (6)  They  are  changed 
into  His  glorious  likeness  (I  John  111:2).  (7)  Through  all  the 
ages  to  come  they  will  be  the  recipients  of  the  riches  of  God's  grace 
in  His  kindness  to  them  through  Christ  Jesus  (Eph.  11:7). 

H.  After  tlie  Resurrection  and  Judgment  "cometli  tlie 
end,"  the  passing  away  of  tlie  present  order  of  things,  the 
introduction  of  "nexc  heavens  and  a  nevr  earth,  wherein 
dwelleth  righteousness"  (II  Pet.  Ill :  12,  13)  :  and  then  Christ 
the  God-man,  "having  put  all  things  under  His  feet,"  hav- 
ing accomplished  every  purpose  of  His  mediatorial  king- 
ship, -while  retaining  forever  His  headship  over  His 
redeemed  people  (Luke  1 :  2)3),  "will  give  up  to  the  Father  that 
dominion  over  the  universe  on  xirhich  He  entered  at  His  as- 
cension; and  thus  the  Godhead  absolute  w^ill  be  immedi- 
ately all  in  all  to  the  creature  (I  Cor.  XV:  24-28).  Such  is 
the  infinitely  glorious  and  blessed  consumrnation  of  God's  eternal 
plan. 


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